WELCOME
The University of Newcastle is a research intensive university with a reputation for
excellence and a strong and vibrant research culture. Our research work is recognised
for its impact and relevance to the region, the nation and the international community.
Our proud history is reflected in our consistent ranking in the top ten Australian
universities for research effort and outcomes. There are areas of research excellence
across the breadth of the University’s disciplines and we are best known for our research
strengths in science and technology, engineering, biological and biomedical sciences, and
medicine and health sciences.
The single most important factor in the success of the University’s research is our people.
We value our research candidates as important contributors to our research standing and
provide a supportive environment to achieve excellent outcomes. Upon enrolment you will
be provided with a laptop and you will also be able to apply for the Annual RHD Candidate
Allocation for reimbursement of costs associated with research activities.
The high standards set by the University ensure that our research higher degrees are
respected and valued throughout the world. Establishing and strengthening partnerships
with local and global industries is a key driver in our research success.
As a research higher degree candidate, the University will support you to the utmost of its
ability. When you accept an offer of a place at Newcastle, you can be sure that you will be
accepted into our research community and you will be given quality supervision consistent
at all times with the various stages of your development towards being an independent
researcher.
Please take the time to read through this prospectus and to understand the advantage
you will have, should you choose Newcastle as your university. We are confident that
you will find much to encourage your application for admission.
We look forward to hearing from you.

Pictured on cover: Jamie Flynn, PhD (Anatomy) candidate, who took out the 2011 University of
Newcastle Three Minute Thesis competition title from an impressive field with his presentation
“Propriospinal Neurons and Their Role in Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury”.

TO CHOOSE THE
UNIVERSITY OF

NEWCASTLE

AUSTRALIA

01 World-class research

We are ranked in the world’s top four per cent and in Australia’s
top 10 universities for research. We have on staff some of the
world’s leading researchers and invest in world-class research
facilities. We have 15 Priority Research Centres, we lead an
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence and host large
national and international research projects. The high standards
set by the University ensure that our research higher degrees are
respected and valued throughout the world.

02 A great environment for study

We have a student population of more than 35,000 including
more than 7,800 international students from more than 100
countries. Our campuses at Newcastle and the Central Coast
offer a unique lifestyle of beaches, cafes and music, as well as a
cost-effective, friendly place to live.

03 People who study here do well

As one of Australia’s leading research-intensive institutions,
we have a reputation for excellence and a strong and vibrant
research culture. Completing a research higher degree develops
specialist knowledge in your field and professional skills for a
range of business settings. Whether you’re interested in a career
in academia or in the private or government spheres, you will be
equipped with valuable skills that will make you competitive, no
matter what your chosen career path.

04 We are hands-on and responsive

We value our research higher degree candidates as important
contributors to our research standing and provide a supportive
environment. You will be accepted into our research community
and given quality supervision.

05 This is a place of opportunity

A research higher degree is a unique opportunity to develop
new skills, develop problem-solving abilities and make a valuable
contribution to new knowledge. Whether you want to broaden
your mind, advance your career, increase your knowledge, travel
the globe or change the world, the University of Newcastle can
provide you with the opportunity.

CONTENTS
02 World-class research
03 Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER)
04 A great environment for study
05 Why do a research higher degree
06 A guide to application and enrolment
08 Research scholarships
09 Resources for candidates
10 Priority Research Centres
15 Faculty of Business and Law
21 Faculty of Education and Arts
27 Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
33 Faculty of Health
39 Faculty of Science and Information Technology
44 The Wollotuka Institute
45 Expectations in relation to research higher degrees
46 Completing your application form
48 Proposal template
49 Application form
53 RHD programs and codes

www.newcastle.edu.au | 1

WORLD-CLASS
RESEARCH
Research and study opportunities are available for
all stages of your career. To find out more about the
University of Newcastle’s world-class team visit
www.newcastle.edu.au/research
The University of Newcastle has a vibrant research culture
and has enjoyed strong and increasing success in research
performance. We hold a unique place in the higher education
sector as the most research-intensive university outside of
an Australian capital city. Ranked in the top 10 universities
in Australia for research, a proven track record of innovation
continues to drive our reputation as a place of research
excellence and groundbreaking discovery. Our strengths are
concentrated in the areas of health, biomedical science, energy
and the environment, engineering and science.
The University is home to many of the world’s leading
researchers including:
• Professor John Forbes (breast cancer)
• Professor Jim Denham (prostate cancer)
• Laureate Professor John Aitken (reproductive biology)
• Laureate Professor Graeme Jameson
(chemical engineering)
• Laureate Professor Graham Goodwin
(electrical engineering)
• Laureate Professor Scott Sloan (civil engineering)
• Laureate Professor Jonathan Borwein (mathematics)
• Laureate Professor Rob Sanson-Fisher (public health)

02 | RHD PROSPECTUS

Our track record
The University of Newcastle:
• is in Australia’s top 10 for externally funded research
• has an annual external research income of $84.96 million as
reported under our 2010 Higher Education Research Data
Collection (HERDC)
• is ranked ninth in Australia according to the 2010 HERDC
• has $13.6 million new Australian Research Council funding
commencing in 2012
• has $12.7 million National Health and Medical Research
Council funding commencing in 2012
• has an annual turnover $12.6 million as part of Newcastle
Innovation in 2010
• is an associate member of the Group of Eight (Go8) Deans
of Engineering and Associates*
*Associate members were invited to join the Go8 Deans of
Engineering in recognition of the outstanding quality of their
engineering research, teaching and scholarship.
We lead an Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence
in Geotechnical Science and Engineering.
With partner organisations we host:
• the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI)
• the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER)
We host large national and international research projects
including:
• the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health
• the Australia New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group
• the WorkCover NSW Research Centre of Excellence

NIER
Delivering discoveries and
solutions that make a difference
The Newcastle Institute for Energy
and Resources (NIER) is a world-class
research facility established with the
explicit role of facilitating research within
the minerals, energy and resources fields.
Funded through the Education Investment
Fund, NIER is part of the Government’s
Education Revolution aimed at supporting
world-leading, strategically focused
infrastructure investments that will
transform Australian tertiary education
and research.
NIER brings the University’s leading energy
and resources researchers together
under an umbrella institute and addresses
national priorities in sustainability within
the energy and resources sector.

Priority research areas include:
• reduction of energy and water consumption in industries of national significance
• reduction of carbon emission through next generation clean coal, carbon capture and
storage technologies
• development of alternative energy sources including geothermal, biomass, wind and
polymer solar cells
• improved efficiencies in energy generation and conversion
• smarter and more efficient networks for the distribution and utilisation of electricity
and water
• social change and the sustainability of resources and the environment.
NIER will be the preeminent and most comprehensive energy and resources research
institute of its kind in Australia, focused on achieving best practice industry and academia
collaboration, and providing both practical and viable benefits to industry, the community
and the economy.
On a scale unrivalled at any other education and research centre in Australia, NIER is
housed in a world-class research facility comprising extensive mineral, chemical and
technical laboratories, industrial-scale pilot plant workshops and offices, with a stateof-the-art research building to be completed in 2013. Building capacity provides for
significant research training activities, and access to industrial scale facilities ensures
students graduate with industry-relevant experience.
The collaborations between energy and resources researchers from the University
with industry partners allows cross-fertilisation of ideas and approaches aligned
to government and industry research agendas, and has the potential to make a
substantial contribution to sustainable energy research nationally and internationally.
Partnerships exist with Ausgrid, CSIRO, Ampcontrol, TUNRA Bulk Solids, BHP Billiton,
Xstrata, NuCoal and Hunter Water with many others in development. Key international
partnerships have been established with the University of Witswatersrand, North China
Electric Power University and the State Grid Power Research Institute of China with
additional collaborations planned in Africa and China.
The Priority Research Centres within NIER include:
• Centre for Advanced Particle Processing and Transport (page 10)
• Centre for Energy (page 13)
• Centre for Organic Electronics (page 14)
www.newcastle.edu.au/research/nier

A GREAT
ENVIRONMENT
FOR STUDY
Research centres and partnerships
We are host to a range of research
centres funded either by the Australian
Government and industry or from our
own resources. Our 15 Priority Research
Centres bring together our top researchers
and promote cross-faculty and crossdisciplinary research. Full details of all our
research centres are available at www.
newcastle.edu.au/research/centresinstitutes
We enjoy significant research and teaching
partnerships with universities throughout
Asia and the Pacific and in Europe, North
America and Africa. We are recognised
nationally and internationally for the
leadership we have provided in establishing
problem-based learning.
The University is strongly committed to
increasing the participation of Indigenous
students in higher education and our
Umulliko Indigenous Higher Education
Research Centre provides support to
our Indigenous research higher degree
candidates.
Campuses
We have two main campuses. The largest,
set on a 140 hectare natural bushland site,
is at Callaghan, 12 kilometres from the
centre of Newcastle, and is well serviced
by both bus and train. The other main
campus is located on a picturesque 85
hectare site at Ourimbah on the Central
Coast, halfway between Newcastle and
Sydney. Our City precinct comprises
the Newcastle Business School, the
Newcastle Legal Centre and the
Conservatorium of Music.

The University of
Newcastle is a
modern, flexible and
comprehensive university
established in 1965.

Libraries
The University offers specialised services and resources for research higher degree
candidates over six libraries, including dedicated postgraduate study facilities at three
locations. The library invests over $8 million per annum in scholarly information resources
including subscriptions to over 80,000 online and print journals, 200,000 e-books and
also acquires over 20,000 print books per annum. Resources in other libraries within
Australia and overseas are available free of charge through the inter-library loan and
BONUS+ requesting system. This, combined with 24x7 physical access over three
locations, ensures that the library is always available to assist and support research
activity. The Faculty Librarian Service provides advanced information research support to
researchers and postgraduate students. Subject information specialists can advise on the
best strategies for effective information access including advice on literature searches,
research techniques, advanced use of Endnote and training in online resources.
Sports facilities
The sports facilities on the Callaghan campus are amongst the finest of any university
in the country and include The Forum sports complex, which houses a 50-metre indoor
heated pool, an 18-metre climbing wall, a fully equipped gymnasium, two martial arts/
aerobics studios and two competition indoor courts for sports such as basketball and
volleyball. There are also six sporting ovals, a squash centre and tennis courts. There are
many social and support services for students from career guidance and health care to
banks and sporting clubs.
Accommodation
The University operates the largest single site accommodation complex of any university
in Australia with the capacity to accommodate around 1,000 students. There are four
Halls of Residence â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Edwards Hall, International House, Barahinebahn and Evatt House.

WHY DO A
RESEARCH HIGHER DEGREE?
AN RHD is the
recognised
qualification for a
career in academia
and will open doors to
careers in the public
and private sectors.

Broaden your career options
Research is a growth industry, and gaining a research higher degree will give you an
advantage in the job market. Workforce projections indicate that demand for research
qualified people is set to grow at a faster rate than overall employment demand in our
economy over the decade to 2020, with the number of employed individuals with a
doctorate by research qualification alone expected to rise by 3.2 per cent per annum
over this period (Access Economics 2010).
In addition, a recent report into research training commissioned by the Australian
Government confirmed that the academic population is ageing and that the number
of young academics coming through will be insufficient to meet the future needs
of research in Australia (Bradley, Noonan, Nugent and Scales 2008). The option of
a career in academia is likely always to remain open for you if you complete a PhD,
both immediately after graduation and as you continue to build knowledge and gain
experience in your discipline.
Start your career as a researcher
Research and scholarship underpin our teaching and creative activity. Candidates who
are working towards a higher degree by research are important to us and our aim is to
attract and support talented, keen researchers.
Stretch yourself
As a successful Master of Philosophy or Doctor of Philosophy graduate, you will
have overcome the obstacles, persevered with the research, mastered new skills and
convinced a group of your peers that the contribution to knowledge submitted as your
thesis is worthy of the award of a higher degree. The end result is an overwhelming
feeling of great accomplishment.
Challenge yourself
Graduates regularly report that their research journey was extremely challenging and
because of that, highly rewarding. The day that a candidate submits their thesis is
truly a day for celebration. A research higher degree can be likened to a full-time job.
Candidates generally work on their research Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm from January
to December with four weeks off for recreational leave usually over the summer period.
The research program normally involves several milestones starting with the research
proposal, literature review, data collection, confirmation, regular progress reporting,
analysis, and several thesis drafts before the final version is ready for examination.
Develop your passion for research
A research higher degree provides an exciting career path for high-achieving students
who have an analytical mind and an intrinsic desire for problem solving.
Contribute to critical knowledge
Research involves defining and solving problems and constantly striving for improvement
in your chosen discipline. We regularly receive feedback from graduates that doing a
PhD has given them a real sense of achievement and the feeling of having contributed to
something positive for the future.
Pictured top: Dr Christopher McNeill
Pictured bottom: Dr Nikola Bowden

www.newcastle.edu.au | 05

AND

A GUIDE TO
APPLICATION
ENROLMENT
Research your options
The Faculty sections of this prospectus
detail areas in which MPhil and PhD
candidates can be accepted. The
qualifications required for admission are
set out on page 45 of this prospectus and
in the degree schedules available at www.
newcastle.edu.au/students/researchhigher-degree/current-students/policyand-guidelines.html
Apply
To apply for candidature please complete
the application form found on page 49 of
this prospectus. Instructions on completing
the form are available on page 46. Ensure
that you attach all required documentation
and lodge your application with the Office
of Graduate Studies. If you don’t provide
original or certified documents related to
your admission you may only be made a
conditional offer and will be unable to enrol
until these documents have been received.

Find a supervisor

Applicants are encouraged to
consult with academics in the
chosen research field at the
University prior to submitting
an application for admission.
This may assist in guiding
the direction of your research
proposal.
The Register of Supervisors
allows you to search for a
potential supervisor.
You can search by school
or researcher name, or by
keyword, and you will be
provided with the names of
supervisors, a summary of their
research areas, and a link to
their research profile and their
email address.
www.newcastle.edu.au/
students/research-higherdegree/future-students/
find-a-supervisor.html

06 | RHD PROSPECTUS

Assessment
Upon receipt of your application form and accompanying documentation, we will register
your application and conduct an eligibility assessment.
You will receive an acknowledgement email including an applicant login and application
tracking information to the email address provided on your application form. Your
application will then be sent to the relevant faculty and school for an academic
assessment and determination. Once a determination has been made the application will
be returned to the Office of Graduate Studies where outcome correspondence will be
prepared and despatched to you.
Academic review
Assessment times can vary. Please allow at least six weeks. During the scholarship
assessment period (Oct-Dec) scholarship applications are prioritised.
The recommendation to admit an applicant is the responsibility of the Head of School
in which the research program is to be pursued, and must also be approved by the Pro
Vice-Chancellor (or nominee) of the Faculty.
Approval requires that:
• an applicant is appropriately qualified
• there are projects available within the applicant’s areas of research interest
• the school can provide supervision and resources
Outcome
You will be notified of the outcome of your application via email and hard copy letter.
If you are made an offer you can accept it online at http://myhub.newcastle.edu.au. If
deferral is possible this will be indicated in your offer letter.
The letter will outline your program, supervisory arrangements and other details relevant
to your initial enrolment. Conditions may be placed on an offer of admission such as
enrolment in prescribed courses. The offer may also be conditional upon receipt of
further evidence from you. It is important that you attend to any conditions promptly to
avoid delays in commencement.
If a scholarship application has also been submitted separate advice will be provided
regarding its outcome. First round scholarship offers will be made in mid to late
December and must be accepted within 28 days.
Contact
The Office of Graduate Studies is the first point of contact for domestic research higher
degree applicants. We will respond to your queries by email, phone or in person. Our
office is located in Room CH234 on the Ground Floor, East Wing, The Chancellery,
Callaghan campus.
T +61 2 4921 6537
F +61 2 4921 6908
E research@newcastle.edu.au
www.newcastle.edu.au/unit/office-of-graduate-studies
International applicants should contact International Admissions and obtain an
international application form: IA@newcastle.edu.au

Study costs – Research Training Scheme
Under the Research Training Scheme (RTS) the University receives funding from the
Australian Government to meet its operational costs for the candidature of domestic
students. This support is in the form of an exemption from the contributions normally
payable by Australian students under the Higher Education Loan Program. RTS
funding is limited to:
• four years full-time (or part-time equivalent) if a PhD candidate
• two years full-time (or part-time equivalent) if a research masters candidate
Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
From semester 2, 2012 a Student Services and Amenities fee will be introduced
to improve the services offered to all students. For full details, please refer to www.
newcastle.edu.au//students/services-and-amenities-fee/. Please note that this fee
is not covered by any research higher degree scholarship. Off-campus, online and
distance students are also required to pay a service and amenities fee.
Privacy and confidentiality
The information gathered by the University from your completed application form
and during the period of your enrolment will only be used in accordance with privacy
legislation to assist the University to enable you to complete your program of study.
It will not be disclosed to third parties without your consent unless the University is
under a legal obligation to do so. Government departments such as Centrelink, the
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, the Australian
Taxation Office and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship are authorised to
request specific types of information for their purposes. The University may also be
required to provide information to law enforcement agencies if a subpoena or warrant
is served on it, or if an application is made under the Government Information (Public
Access) Act 2009.
Thesis by Publication
Thesis by Publication is a thesis submitted in the form of a series of published papers.
The application process is the same as any research higher degree and scholarships
are equally available. The difference only occurs in the format of the thesis you submit.
It is recommended that you discuss the option of thesis by publication with your
supervisor upon enrolment.

www.newcastle.edu.au | 07

RESEARCH

SCHOLARSHIPS
The University of Newcastle offers a number of postgraduate research
scholarships to support research candidates in their endeavours.
Scholarship duration
Scholarship duration is three years for a PhD and two years for
a Master degree. Candidates who have commenced a research
higher degree prior to being awarded a scholarship will have
the duration of the scholarship reduced by the amount of time
completed prior to the scholarship starting.

Scholarship procedures
Scholarships are awarded to eligible applicants on the basis of
academic merit and through a highly competitive process. The
award of research scholarships may also take into account areas
of research strength or areas of research in line with the strategic
directions of the University.

Scholarship types

The research scholarship criteria for all faculties will have
the common components of academic achievement as well
as research and scholarly attainments assessed relative to
opportunity. For assessment purposes, current honours students
who have not received their final results will be ranked on the
assumption of achieving Honours Class I (H1). Any subsequent
scholarship offer would be conditional upon H1.

Australian Postgraduate Award (APA)
Australian Postgraduate Awards are funded by the Australian
Government and are offered on a competitive basis to candidates
undertaking a fulltime MPhil or PhD degree. Applicants must have
Honours Class I and be Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens
or Australian permanent residents. These awards currently provide
a living allowance, a relocation allowance and a thesis allowance.
The base rate living allowance in 2012 was $23,728 per annum.
Applications close 31 October each year.
University of Newcastle Postgraduate Research
Scholarship (UNRS)
University of Newcastle Postgraduate Research Scholarships
are funded by the University of Newcastle and are offered
on a competitive basis to applicants of any citizenship status
undertaking a full-time MPhil or PhD degree. These scholarships
provide a living allowance, and may also provide a relocation
allowance and thesis allowance for the candidate (depending on
the funding source). The base rate living allowance in 2012 was
$23,728 per annum. Candidates should normally have Honours
Class I.
Applications close 31 October each year.
Additional University of Newcastle Postgraduate Research
Scholarships funded from external sources (eg. research
grants) are available throughout the year. These scholarships
are advertised on the following website www.newcastle.edu.
au/students/research-higher-degree/scholarships/availablescholarships.html
If you are applying for a specific scholarship funded from an
external source please write the name of the scholarship on the
application form.

08 | RHD PROSPECTUS

Applicants may elect to be considered in more than one discipline
area. A complete separate application must be lodged for each
discipline, and each will be considered separately within the
relevant faculty. An offer of admission to candidature and/or offer
of scholarship in one discipline may not be transferable to another.
First round scholarship offers will be sent to the applicantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
correspondence address in mid to late December. Offers must
be accepted within 28 days. It is important that applicants ensure
they check their email and collect mail from their correspondence
address. Any second round offers will be made from January
2013. Scholarships should normally commence and enrolment
should be finalised by 31 August in the year for which the offer of
candidature was made. Scholarship recipients must normally be
enrolled full-time in their research higher degree.
Applicants who have completed more than two full-time
equivalent semesters towards a MPhil or more than four full-time
equivalent semesters towards a PhD at the commencement of the
following academic year will not be considered for the award of a
scholarship.

In 2012 the University
offered approximately
95 scholarships to
domestic candidates.

Note that applicants are not eligible for:
• support for a MPhil degree if they already hold a MPhil
degree or equivalent
• any RHD scholarship if they already hold a research doctoral
degree or equivalent
• an APA if they have previously held any Australian
Government funded award for six months or more
• a UNRS if they have previously held an equivalent
scholarship for 12 months or more, for the same award
An applicant who does not speak English as a first language
must satisfy one of the English language requirements as listed
in the English Proficiency Policy found at www.newcastle.edu.
au/policy/000104.html by the scholarship closing date.
Scholarship guidelines and procedures
The guidelines and procedures for the ranking and award of
research scholarships are available at www.newcastle.edu.au/
students/research-higher-degree/current-students/policy-andguidelines.html
Scholarship top ups
Scholarship top ups are frequently offered to strong students
eg.. University Medallists, students studying in areas of
research strength or where a supervisor has been awarded an
external grant. Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies
on researchscholarships@newcastle.edu.au if you have any
questions concerning potential top ups you may be eligible to
receive.

RESOURCES FOR CANDIDATES

Scholarship eligibility criteria
Applicants must meet eligibility requirements and must have
an offer of admission to a research higher degree. Applicants
for all schemes must have completed at least four years of
undergraduate study and have attained Honours Class I or
equivalent. Applicants will be considered for an Australian
Postgraduate Award (APA) in the first instance and then for
a University of Newcastle Research Scholarship (UNRS).

Upon enrolment all commencing RHD candidates
are provided with a Dell or Mac laptop that includes a
standard suite of University software such as Microsoft
Office, multi-media, academic and anti-virus software.
All candidates are also able to apply for the Annual
RHD Candidate Allocation for reimbursement of costs
associated with research activities while they are within
their allowed/funded candidature period. All uses of
these funds must be approved by the supervisor and
head of school.
The amount available per candidate is at least $1,500
per annum (pro rata for part-time candidates) and can
be claimed for items such as:
• project costs (for example costs associated with
surveys, interviews, statistical advice, training
courses, data entry and processing)
• the direct cost of consumables required for the
candidate’s research project
• travel and fieldwork related to the research project
• conference attendance and participation (including
registration, travel and accommodation)
• purchase of software (or software licences), books,
journals, media resources etc. that are related to the
research project
• purchase or lease of equipment required for the
research project
• publication costs for research papers arising from
the candidate’s research.
The Code of Practise for Research Higher Degree
Candidature outlines a minimum level of resources that
are provided to candidates. For further information go
to www.newcastle.edu.au/policy/000061.html

www.newcastle.edu.au | 09

PRIORITY RESEARCH CENTRES
Centre for
Advanced Particle Processing and Transport

Centre for
Asthma and Respiratory Disease

The Centre for Advanced Particle Processing and Transport’s
purpose is to establish the technologies needed for energy
efficient transport of raw materials and efficient recovery of
fine particles. This efficiency lowers the carbon footprint, water
consumption, and cost of mining on a per tonne of product basis.
Major advances are being made in novel belt conveying and
establishing new separation technologies to achieve fine particle
beneficiation in coal and mineral processing, including the worldwide application of the Jameson Cell in froth flotation and the
Reflux Classifier in gravity separation.

The Research Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Disease focuses
on understanding the cellular and molecular processes that are
associated with the development and progression of respiratory
diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD). These are the two major chronic respiratory
diseases in Australia, with the incidence of asthma among the
highest in the world, and COPD a major cause of death. These
disorders are a significant health and economic burden to the
community. They are designated National Research Priority
Areas by the Australian Government and are diseases of global
significance.

Research Programs
Energy efficient transport of raw materials:
• steep conveying, pneumatic conveying
• energy efficient belt conveying over long distances
Fine particle beneficiation and characterisation:
• dry separation, novel flotation technology, novel and enhanced
gravity separation and desliming of fine particles
• application of electrostatic, magnetic and high G forces
• selective flocculation and agglomeration
Experimental work is supported by facilities in bulk solids
handling, belt conveying, mineral processing, fundamental physical
chemistry instrumentation, high-speed video, and laser flow
diagnostics, while our modelling capability includes computational
fluid dynamics and discrete element modelling.
Research opportunities exist in fundamentals of bulk solids
handling, pneumatic conveying, belt conveying, dust suppression,
physical chemistry and control of surfactant adsorption, particleparticle aggregation, and interactions between particles and
interfaces. Research is also focused on the hydrodynamics
of foam drainage, the application of fluidisation to support
the flotation of coarse particles and the aggregation of nanoparticles, and in promoting the gravity separation of coal and
minerals in the Reflux Classifier. A new shock-wave technology
is being developed to enhance ultrafine flotation, while in gravity
separation centrifugal forces are being exploited to target finer
particles.
www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/capp

The major aim of the Centre is to advance the national research
effort on the understanding and treatment of respiratory disease.
The Centre also acts as a national centre for the training of
research higher degree students, postdoctoral fellows and
clinician scientists and for basic and clinical research. The Centre
has formally brought together the leading asthma and respiratory
disease researchers in Newcastle to develop an internationally
recognised program focusing on respiratory disease. As a result,
it has a much more focused research strategy that has resulted in
linking both the clinical and basic arms of our research programs.
www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/card

Centre FOR
Physical Activity and Nutrition
The Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition
takes a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to
understanding physical activity and nutrition for population health
with particular emphasis on education and health promotion
strategies for chronic disease prevention, treatment and wellbeing.
The PRC aims to examine these interrelationships across
the lifespan by targeting ‘at risk’ populations at multiple levels
(individual, social, organisational, population) within various
settings (schools, clinics, workplaces, communities).
Research and training activities cover the spectrum of theory
development and measurement, intervention building and testing
and knowledge transfer. The PRC aims to achieve high quality
research, training and knowledge translation in the development
and testing of effective, theory-driven, multi-level, populationbased physical activity and nutrition-related interventions (and
natural experiments) that can ultimately be used and sustained in
practice.
www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/pan

ARC Centre of Excellence
in Geotechnical Science and
Engineering (CGSE)

The Priority Research Centre for
Bioinformatics, Biomarker Discovery and
Information-Based Medicine (CIBM) brings
together academics from the Faculty of
Health and the Faculty of Engineering
and Built Environment and works in
collaboration with the Hunter Medical
Research Institute’s Information-Based
Medicine Program. The Centre draws
together the disciplines of bioinformatics
and molecular and genetic analysis with
clinical information and population data
analysis.
Researchers in the Centre capture
information from patient populations
using a variety of high-throughput devices
so that each and every individual has
a unique signature of their genome.
Diseases that have been studied to date
include multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia,
age related macular degeneration, stroke
and endometrial cancer to name but a
few. Once the data have been collected,
usually on over 1,000 individuals and
1,000 control subjects, it then requires
analysis to identify salient associations.
This requires the utilisation of computer
technology and mathematical methods to
extract meaningful information from vast
amounts of data to identify disease-related
genetic associations. The ultimate aim
is to inform the development of patienttailored treatment to a host of diseases
thereby bringing about better outcomes for
patients and their families.

The Centre for Translational Neuroscience
and Mental Health focuses on the
leading cause of disease burden globally
– the common disorders of the brain.
Recent advances in neuroscience have
put discovery of the causes, means for
prevention and better treatments of
these conditions within reach. The Centre
focuses on understanding the basis of
individual differences in vulnerability
and resilience to brain disorders and on
applying these understandings to the
development and implementation of new
treatment strategies.

The Australian Research Council (ARC)
provided $14.4 million to the University
to establish the CGSE. The CGSE
will pioneer new scientific approaches
to geotechnical engineering design
to underpin Australia’s energy and
transport infrastructure, resulting in
increased productivity and sustainability
of the nation’s export industries.

The Centre aims to find methodologies
that will shorten the process of obtaining
novel discoveries and to use them to obtain
distinctively better outcomes in clinical
practice and translational individualised
medicine.
www.newcastle.edu.au/researchcentre/cibm

The Centre is comprised of six disease
specific research programs. These are:
schizophrenia; stroke; affective and
addictive disorders; chronic pain and
sensory syndromes; brain development,
ageing and cognition; and innovative
models of care for implementation
of new discoveries. The broad aim of
each program is to achieve better early
detection, prevention and treatment of
these common diseases/entities, with both
the Centre and the individual Program
leadership focusing on developing and
promoting research ideas that have
clear and direct relevance to improve
health care outcomes. To achieve this
outcome, the Programs promote multidisciplinary collaboration and support
and reward communication and linkage
across the basic neuroscience, clinical
neuroscience and population research
domains, capitalising on expertise across
our regional University and Hospital
sectors. This strong integration of highquality neuroscience across University
and Hospital sectors at multiple levels
of enquiry makes this Centre a unique
research entity in the Australian
neuroscience landscape.
www.newcastle.edu.au/researchcentre/ctnmh

Physical infrastructure, such as
offshore platforms and pipelines, and
national road and rail systems, rely on
geotechnical engineering design, and
this is increasingly associated with
building on extremely soft sediments
(geomaterials). Offshore these are
encountered in almost all modern
developments, where water depths
now mostly exceed 500 metres;
onshore, transport corridors must
increasingly make use of poor ground
that has proved problematic for other
developments. In all such cases
the response of the geomaterials
is complex and highly variable and
presents major design challenges.
The core goals of the CGSE are
therefore to:
• provide a national focus for
geotechnical research
• optimise the design of critical
infrastructure
• collaborate with offshore and
onshore industry
• educate and train the next generation
of geotechnical engineers and
researchers.
Pictured above (left to right): Professor Ron
Plotnikoff, PRC for Physical Activity and
Nutrition; Professor Natashia Boland, PRC
for Computer-Assisted Mathematics and
its Applications; and Laureate Professor
Paul Foster and Conjoint Professor Peter
Gibson, PRC for Asthma and Respiratory
Disease.
www.newcastle.edu.au | 11

Centre for
Chemical Biology

Centre for Complex Dynamic
Systems and Control (CDSC)

The Centre for Chemical Biology (CCB)
is committed to providing innovative
therapeutics for the treatment of human
disease. By bringing together research
teams of international excellence from
chemistry, biology and medicine we will
unravel the causes of disease, identify
crucial biological targets and pioneer the
rapid development of novel drugs for the
fight against disease. The CCB will be the
central facilitator of drug development at
the University of Newcastle and with our
collaborators, displaying leadership and
research excellence.

Modern society, whether in industry,
biomedicine, ecology, economics, or
energy systems involves complexity,
with dynamics and interactions playing
an increasing role. Critical questions of
measurement, understanding and the
regulation of such processes are crucial
to our society’s future. At CDSC we
take an approach largely based around
mathematical modelling and applied
control and estimation to tackle these
problems. We have a team of experts
working on a range of application areas for
these fundamental technologies. Example
projects include:
• dynamics and control in electric energy
systems
• applications to telecommunication
systems
• high fidelity nano-positioning systems
for MEMS systems
• environmental monitoring and sensing
• control and transportation systems
(marine, aerospace, intelligent vehicle
systems)
• genetics and biomedical analysis

The CCB will provide a supportive forum
for career development and enhancement
of junior staff across chemistry, biology
and biomedical sciences. The Centre will
also provide biomedical researchers with a
molecular ‘toolkit’ to unravel the intricacies
of biological processes and a ‘lab to clinic’
drug development pipeline to a clinical
setting.
By bringing together research teams of
international excellence from chemistry,
biology and medicine the Centre will focus
on unravelling the causes of disease,
identifying crucial biological targets and
will pioneer the rapid development of novel
drugs for the fight against disease.
www.newcastle.edu.au/researchcentre/ccb

Our research spans fundamental
engineering work through to a range
of practical applications.
www.newcastle.edu.au/researchcentre/cdsc

Centre for Cancer
The Priority Research Centre for Cancer delivers advanced approaches to assess patient
risk and disease progression using cutting edge techniques in the fields of molecular
genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, proteomics and magnetic resonance spectroscopy
that can be incorporated into clinical trials and public health research. This research
capacity is supported by close collaboration with the clinical facilities of the Hunter New
England Local Health District and the complementary research expertise in the Priority
Research Centres for Bioinformatics, Biomarker Discovery and Information Based
Medicine, Chemical Biology and Health Behaviour.
Using the biobanking experience developed for breast cancer, the Centre extends the
collection to other tumours, such as colon, melanoma and lung cancer. The aim is to
collect well-annotated tissue from every patient entered in a clinical trial or undergoing
cancer treatment. Biological endpoints will be incorporated into the clinical trials
by integrating new approaches and capabilities such as proteomics and magnetic
resonance imaging and spectroscopy to diagnose and monitor treatment and NextGen
sequencing to define genetic risk factors. These data will also be used by scientists to
define new drug targets, develop lead compounds for cancer treatment and validate
prognostic and predictive biomarkers to personalise therapy.
12 | RHD PROSPECTUS

Centre for Computer-Assisted
Research Mathematics and its
Applications
The Centre for Computer-Assisted
Research Mathematics and its Applications
(CARMA) forms the base for a vibrant
cross-university and intra-university
Priority Research Centre. There is no
corresponding group in Australia and there
are very few internationally.
Mathematics as “the language of high
technology” underpins all facets of
modern life and current Information and
Communication Technology (ICT). Yet no
other research centre exists focussing
on the implications of developments in
ICT, present and future, for the practice
of research mathematics. CARMA partly
fills this gap through the exploitation
and development of techniques and
tools for computer-assisted discovery
and disciplined data-mining including
mathematical visualisation.
Advanced mathematical computation is
essential to the solution of many real-world
problems: sophisticated mathematics
is core to software used by scientists,
engineers, policy makers and corporate
managers, who design, plan and control
the systems and products that are key
to our day-to- day life. CARMA actively
engages in developing state-of –the-art
mathematical algorithms. CARMA research
spans Computational Analysis, Modelling
and Differential Equations, Discrete
Mathematics, Linear and Nonlinear
Analysis, Optimization and Operations
Research, Topological Groups, Harmonic
Analysis, Number Theory and Functional
Analysis.
www.carma.newcastle.edu.au

CENTRE FOR ENERGY

Centre for Health Behaviour

The Centre for Energy operates four research programs. The Research Program on
Low Emission Coal has an emphasis on abatement of greenhouse gases, with scientific
research underpinning technologies for carbon capture and storage, such as oxyfuel,
post-combustion capture, gasification, chemical looping and minerals sequestration. The
research includes coal reactions, combustion and gasification, emissions, and impact of
carbon capture for retrofitted units as well as new plant. Emissions from current pf plant
are also included. The Program involves interaction with technology demonstrations
within Australia and international developments.

The Priority Research Centre for
Health Behaviour strives to improve
community health through service delivery
interventions promoting healthy behaviours
and quality healthcare. Led by its highly
experienced Director, Laureate Professor
Rob Sanson-Fisher, the PRCHB brings
together a number of separate research
groups to harness their combined wealth
of research expertise. These groups
include:
• Hunter New England Population Health
(HNEPH)
• Health Behaviour Research Group
(HBRG)
• Discipline of Health Behaviour Sciences
• Behavioural Science Strategic Research
Partnership (STREP)
• The School of Psychology
• Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and
Biostatistics (CCEB)
• Maddison Collaboration.

The goal of the Research Program on Renewable Energy Systems is to reduce reliance
on fossil fuels, and hence minimise greenhouse gas emissions, by increasing the share of
renewables in our energy mix. The Program focuses on development of novel systems/
processes for more efficient and viable utilisation of renewable energy sources such
as biomass, wind and geothermal. The research underpinning the Program covers
fundamental and applied aspects of renewable energy systems. including biomass
combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis, design of novel wind turbines, as well as
geothermal power cycles and hot dry rock technology for geothermal power generation.
The Research Program on Transportation Fuels and Energy Conversion concentrates on
converting hydrogen to chemicals such as methanol (from CO2) and ammonia (from N2).
These products can serve as fuels or chemical feedstocks. The Program examines new
and novel developments in electrochemical energy generation, as well as optimisation of
energy usage on electrical power grids. The Program also investigates the synthesis of
hydrogen from fossil fuels such as coal, biomass and natural gas.
The Research Program on Energy and the Environment focuses on sustainable and
integrated waste processing/utilisation with energy recovery and generation. Other areas
of interest in this Program include energy efficient housing, industrial ecology, knowledge
systems, sustainability principles and measurement, energy minimisation and recovery,
environmental repair and pollution abatement.
www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/energy

Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing
The Priority Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing is a dynamic, crossdisciplinary research group that researches individual, health care and societal factors
that affect men and women’s health and wellbeing throughout life and as they age. The
Centre also examines the ways in which communities respond to an ageing population.
The Centre utilises the University’s acclaimed research capacities across public health/
policy, clinical and basic science disciplines. Its core focii are to maximise analyses of
longitudinal and linked data; undertake observational, experimental and translational
studies in relation to gender, health and ageing; research appropriate use of medications
and other health care resources; and evaluate innovative approaches to caring for older
people.
The broad research capacity of the Centre supports partnerships with industry,
government and other institutions, as well as collaboration with other Universities both in
Australia and internationally. The Centre membership includes academics with expertise
in health and clinical sciences, psychology, sociology, health economics, epidemiology,
statistics and architecture, all of which contribute to understanding biological, social and
environmental factors that affect the health of men and women as they age. The Centre
also includes two World Health Organisation Collaborating Centres.

The Centres’ research focuses on social
and individual factors that affect the health
of populations, developing measures and
interventions for reducing prevalence of
preventable disease risks while increasing
equitable and evidence-based health care
delivery. The Centre works to assess and
reduce the psychosocial impacts of chronic
disease and is involved in improving
responses to emerging infectious disease
threats.
The Centre combines researchers from
a variety of fields including psychology,
public health, medicine, nutrition and
dietetics, physiotherapy, occupational
therapy and nursing to carry out high
quality, intervention-focused health
behaviour research targeting key public
health issues.
www.newcastle.edu.au/researchcentre/health-behaviour

www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/gha

www.newcastle.edu.au | 13

Centre for Geotechnical
and Materials Modelling

Centre for
Organic Electronics

Centre for
Reproductive Science

The Centre for Geotechnical and Materials
Modelling focuses on the development of
new models and innovative computational
methods for predicting the behaviour of
geomaterials, metals, and composites.
Advanced computational methods, coupled
with laboratory and field testing, are key
tools in this pursuit.

The Centre for Organic Electronics is
the first of its kind in Australia. It is an
exciting new initiative focusing on the
development of new electronic devices at
the intersection between semiconductors
and plastics. Key research areas include:
• organic solar cells (new materials,
devices, models, large scale fabrication)
• organic electronic based sensors
(biosensors, printable electronic arrays,
explosives sensors)
• organic based photonics (detectors)
• new fundamental imaging systems
(atom-based microscopy).

The Priority Research Centre for
Reproductive Science brings together
researchers from the Mothers and Babies
Research Centre, (headed by Professor
Roger Smith), the Egg-to-Embryo Group
(headed by Professor Keith Jones)
and the Reproductive Biology Group
(headed by Laureate Professor John
Aitken). The Centre for Reproductive
Science addresses one of the Australian
Government’s most important national
research priorities – ‘A Healthy Start
to Life’. Recent research demonstrates
that the long term health and welfare of
individuals is critically affected by the
quality of the gametes that form the
embryo and the nature of the intrauterine
environment provided by the mother during
foetal development.

The Centre combines two of Australia’s
leading research teams in their own areas:
the Geotechnical Research Group and
the Diffusion in Solids Group. Although
these groups study problems at different
length scales, they are united in their aim
to develop material models that accurately
describe the macroscopic behaviour of
a wide range of materials. They are also
united by their common interest in the
use of advanced computational methods,
such as nonlinear finite element analysis,
to solve multiphase problems involving
deformation, diffusion and transport.
By combining the numerical modelling
expertise of the Geotechnical Research
Group with the nano- and microscale
modelling expertise of the Diffusion in
Solids Group, a wide range of practical
problems are being studied including
contaminant migration and remediation
in soils, the constitutive behaviour of
geomaterials (soils and rocks), rock fall
analysis, failure mechanisms and heat
transport in electronic devices, and the
mechanical behaviour of tunnels, building
foundations, road embankments, harbour
facilities, and mine sites.
www.newcastle.edu.au/researchcentre/cgmm

The University of Newcastle is
internationally recognised for its
contribution to studies of human
reproductive health and pregnancy. The
Centre for Reproductive Science targets
the future health of all Australians by
improving the health of pregnant women
and providing key information on the
determinants of a healthy start to life.
The Centre for Reproductive Science
also supports the work of the highly
successful Australian Research Council
Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology
and Development administered by the
University of Newcastle.
www.newcastle.edu.au/researchcentre/crs

FACULTY OF
BUSINESS AND LAW
The Faculty of Business and Law is an innovative and dynamic learning
community that offers distinctive degrees and, in collaboration with
our external partners and stakeholders, strives to make a difference by
creating new knowledge, preparing our students for global citizenship,
and contributing to the economic, social and political progress of
Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Through partnerships with leading international universities, through leading roles in
international professional and academic societies, and through work with industry, our
research has global reach and impact. A candidate for a research higher degree in this
faculty is welcomed into our research teams and is trained by experienced academics.
It is important that RHD candidates align their research project with the research
expertise of existing academic staff. Prospective RHD candidates are advised to
browse the research interests of academic staff in the School and make contact with
a prospective supervisor who has appropriate research experience in the discipline of
choice. Prospective RHD candidates can begin this search at www.newcastle.edu.au/
students/research-higher-degree/future-students/find-a-supervisor.html

Successful leaders don’t start out asking,
‘What do I want to do?’
They ask, ‘What needs to be done?’
Then they ask, ‘Of those things that would
make a difference, which are right for me?’
Peter Drucker, founding father of management

www.newcastle.edu.au | 15

OURRESEARCH
The Facultyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s research-intensive
schools contribute to the University
of Newcastleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ranking as one
of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top 10 research
universities.
Our academic staff are active researchers,
with many leaders in their disciplines, who
publish consistently in the top international
and national journals. Researchers within
the Faculty have been awarded substantial
research funding through the Australian
Research Council and from industry, and
they are grant assessors for esteemed
bodies such as the Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council of Canada
and the Australian Research Council.

Our academic staff
are active researchers,
with many leaders
in their disciplines.

The Centre for Institutional and Organisational Studies
This Faculty-wide centre supports many of the research efforts across our two schools.
It studies the differential growth and development of societies and enterprise across
time and place. The aim is to understand how socially beneficial exchange is organised
through legal, political, economic and social institutions and organisations. Organisations
comprise business and legal firms, unions, the judiciary, political parties, pressure groups,
families, non-governmental and not-for-profit bodies, religious groups, educational bodies
and international bodies (UN, World Bank and IMF). Institutions include the formal (legal)
and informal (social norms and values) environments within which organisations operate.
The Centre has research partnerships with leading universities including Aachen
University of Technology; Nanjing University; Beijing Normal University; South China
University of Technology; Shandong University; Jilan University; IMT Ghaziabad; Indian
Institute of Management, Indore; Chulalongkorn University; University of Malaya;
University of Kebangsaan Malaysia; University of Limerick; and University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign. The Centre also partners with industry and a variety of professional
associations.
The Centre aims to make a difference in society. It provides a home for our researchers
and research higher degree candidates to advance current academic knowledge and
professional practices in the various business and law disciplines.

16 | RHD PROSPECTUS

SNAPSHOT
RESTRUCTURING FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC FIRMS IN CHINA
Led by Dr Brendan Boyle, Dr Rebecca Mitchell and Emeritus Professor Stephen
Nicholas (pictured above), in cooperation with Dean Xiao Shuming, Nanjing University
Business School and Vice President Peng Long, Beijing Foreign Studies University, the
research project investigates the evolution and change in the location, operation and
growth of business enterprises in the world’s fastest growing economy. Dr Boyle says
“Business firms change their structure as part of their maturation and development, and
our research assesses the importance of internal factors and external factors, such as
the recent global economic crises, in driving firm restructuring”.

www.newcastle.edu.au | 17

OURSCHOOLS
Newcastle Business School

Newcastle Law School

Newcastle Business School, within the Faculty of Business and
Law, provides a multi-disciplinary environment, with opportunities
for research in all major areas of business. We engage in research
that makes a difference by expanding knowledge and by having
an impact on the professions, business and government in
Australia and the Asia-Pacific. In doing so, our goal is to improve
business practices, foster equity, and contribute to human social
and economic progress.

Focusing on ‘lawyering skills’, the Newcastle Law School is
an internationally recognised law school, combining academic
excellence and practical, hands-on training. Our Professional
Program pioneered the integration of experiential learning and
skills training within the conventional Bachelor of Laws curriculum.

Academic staff in the School have diverse backgrounds, wideranging professional experience, strong research records, and
excellent experience in supervising research students. They are
committed to creating, ensuring and promoting an unmatched
research environment, which is reflected in an impressive output
of research books, journal articles and professional publications.
Over the years, Newcastle Business School and our individual
staff members have built research links with prestigious
universities in Asia, North America, and Europe.
Research higher degree studies are supported in the following
discipline areas:
• business policy and strategy
• international business
• innovation and entrepreneurship
• organisational behaviour, performance and sustainability
• general management
• supply chain management
• accounting
• finance
• economics
• politics
• employment relations
• human resource management
• marketing
• leisure
• tourism
Interdisciplinary programs are also available.

18 | RHD PROSPECTUS

As a result, graduates of the Diploma of Legal Practice are
immediately eligible to apply for admission as legal practitioners in
Australia, without further training.
Research higher degree studies within the Newcastle Law School
are available in the following discipline areas:
• child law
• contract law
• criminal law and sentencing
• environmental law and international environmental law
• equal opportunity law
• family law
• human rights law and international human rights law
• labour relations law and international labour relations law
• legal profession
• occupational health and safety law
• tort law

www.newcastle.edu.au | 19

20 | RHD PROSPECTUS

FACULTY OF
EDUCATION AND ARTS
The Faculty of Education and Arts has internationally recognised research
strengths in social work, religion and religious studies, literature,
education, linguistics, history and film and media studies. The Faculty
also conducts high quality research led by respected scholars in the
classics, language studies, anthropology, speech pathology and the
performing and fine arts.
This broad and exciting range of academic disciplines is represented in three schools:
• School of Drama, Fine Art and Music
• School of Education
• School of Humanities and Social Science
A candidate for a research higher degree in this Faculty is attached to one of these
Schools. Each school offers support for research higher degree students and their
projects. Existing RHD candidates in the Faculty come from many walks of life, and
represent a truly cosmopolitan student body.
It is important that RHD candidates develop a research project that aligns with
the research expertise of existing academic staff in the School. Prospective RHD
candidates are advised to browse the research interests of academic staff in the
School and make contact with a prospective supervisor for their project.
Pictured top: Dr Tim Stanley
Pictured middle (L-R): PhD candidate Rueben
Ramsey, Associate Professor Victoria Haskins
Pictured bottom: Associate Professor Michael
Arthur-Kellly

Prospective candidates can begin this search at www.newcastle.edu.au/students/
research-higher-degree/future-students/find-a-supervisor.html
Each school has a Deputy Head of School (Research and Research Training).
Prospective candidates are advised to consult the Deputy Head of School before
submitting an application for enrolment.
If you are unsure of the appropriate School for your interests, please contact the
Faculty’s Assistant Dean for Research and Research Training, Associate Professor
Pam Nilan (Pamela.Nilan@newcastle.edu.au).

www.newcastle.edu.au | 21

OURRESEARCH
Faculty research strengths are concentrated in three research institutes and one
Priority Research Centre (PRC). Bringing together a critical mass of researchers,
the institutes and the PRC provide ideal environments for RHD study.

Educational Research Institute Research Institute for Social
Humanities Research Institute
Newcastle (ERIN)
Inclusion and Wellbeing (RISIW) (HRI)
ERIN focuses on key challenges facing
contemporary education through
interdisciplinary research into theoretical,
methodological, and evidence-based
understandings of education and
education policy. Teacher Learning and
Professional Development is a research
strength in ERIN, as well as Special
Education and School Reform.
ERIN is currently developing Comparative
and International Education as one of its
strengths with an exciting new research
program. The program will examine the
global flow of best practice educational
policies using critical analyses and
comparisons. Case-studies in five
countries will build innovative theoretical
and methodological frameworks for this
field.
ERIN also has a major focus on Equity
and Education and is undertaking cutting
edge research to identify evidence-based
programs to enable students from low
socioeconomic areas to access higher
education.

RISIW is an interdisciplinary research
body that promotes the cross-fertilisation
of ideas to advance our understanding
of social inclusion and wellbeing. RISIW
seeks to ignite innovative and profound
research in the social sciences by
applying new knowledge and methods
to develop solutions to some of society’s
most intractable problems around areas
of exclusion and disadvantage. Social
Work and Evidence Based Practice is a
current research theme, as well as Critical,
Social and Political Thought. There is an
emerging focus on Post Industrial Cities
(Technology, Time and Labour).
RISIW’s research program in Public
Governance analyses the ways in which
changing political-economic life relates to
new regimes of welfare governance, and
investigates the impact of these regimes
on human service workers.
Another important focus is Social
Research in Energy and Resources,
which is pursued in partnership with
the Newcastle Institute for Energy and
Resources (NIER). Together they have
created the first centre in Australia
dedicated solely to researching social
dimensions of energy and resources.

Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition
The PRC in Physical Activity and Nutrition takes a comprehensive and
interdisciplinary approach to understanding population health with emphasis
on education and health promotion strategies for chronic disease prevention,
treatment, and wellbeing. There are six inter-related themes:
• physical activity and nutrition for population health
• obesity
• therapeutic nutrition
• clinical and experimental nutrition
• exercise sciences
• physical activity and nutrition in schools

22 | RHD PROSPECTUS

Humanities research – including history,
languages, philosophy, theology, and
literature – has an important role to play
by fostering the creation of knowledge
that enriches our lives, making us more
complete human beings and more
capable of sustaining ourselves and our
communities. Research areas fostered
by the Institute include Endangered
Languages and a number of clusters in
History including Race, Colonisation and
Gender.
The Institute’s Centre for the History of
Violence is developing new frameworks
for understanding violence and social
order in historical, political and sociological
contexts and is leading a fundamental
rethinking of the place of violence in the
modern world.
Endangered Language Documentation
Theory and Application is an internationally
recognised program driven by a dynamic
hub of linguistics researchers and students
who work together to document and
describe diverse endangered languages
and pursue flow-on theoretical and
practical applications.
The new interdisciplinary research program
is Religion in Political Life. This program
will examine religion’s dynamic interactions
with democratic authority, radicalism,
gender, and the legacies of colonial
nation building. This program builds on
religious studies, one of the major research
strengths of the Faculty, and will propel
significant global debates about religion
and politics in vital new directions.

SNAPSHOT
GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH IN Physical
Activity and Nutrition
David Lubans and colleagues are developing an international reputation for their
innovative research focused on improving student outcomes and teacher practice in
the field of physical activity and nutrition. The research team is currently evaluating a
number of school-based interventions, working closely with the NSW Department of
Education and Catholic and Independent School associations. We know that physical
activity dramatically declines during adolescence and dietary behaviours deteriorate as
adolescents consume more food away from the influence of the family. Approximately
40 per cent of Australian youth are not sufficiently active and spend a large proportion of
their day engaged in screen-based recreation. One of the many negative consequences
of inactivity and high screen time has been the increase in paediatric obesity. The
research of David Lubans and his team directly addresses these problems.
Participation in physical activity is associated with positive social, emotional and physical
health and improved academic performance. Schools are a crucial setting for health
promotion as they contain the facilities, curricula and personnel necessary for the
promotion of physical activity and healthy eating in young people. Although the health
and physical education teaching areas are the primary targets for health promotion
in schools, break periods, the physical environment of schools, active transportation,
canteens and extra-curricular school sport have been identified as additional
opportunities for intervention.
Researchers in the group are interested in the development and testing of health
behaviour theory and improving the accuracy of physical activity measurement in youth.
A key objective of the research team is knowledge translation into school-based practice
and policy.

There are currently eight research higher
degree students working in the Priority
Research Centre in Physical Activity
and Nutrition on school-based research
projects. A number of these students have
secured prestigious APA scholarships
while others are funded through existing
research grants. Notable projects include:
• The Nutrition and Enjoyable Activity for
Teen Girls (NEAT Girls) study, an ARC
funded intervention focused on reducing
unhealthy weight gain in adolescent girls
• The Supporting Children’s Outcomes
using Rewards, Exercise and Skills
(SCORES) study, a primary school
based physical activity and movement
skills intervention focusing on student
leadership and teacher professional
development.
Pictured above: Associate Professor
David Lubans

www.newcastle.edu.au | 23

OURSCHOOLS

The Faculty of
Education and Arts
encompasses a broad
range of disciplines
represented in three
Schools.

School of Drama, Fine Art and Music

School of Education

The School of Drama, Fine Art and Music (DFAM) offers a
strong research culture based on the nexus between theory and
creative practice. While research higher degree students in DFAM
can focus exclusively on theory, the School also provides an
environment in which dramatic performance, visual art practice, or
musical performance and composition can result in the creation
of new practice-based knowledge, and/or innovative uses and
interpretations of existing knowledge. Interdisciplinary approaches
draw on a broad range of influences and ideas, as well as the
traditional skills of the creative arts. Research capacities and
strengths include:
• world music, its analysis and performance and cross-cultural
composition
• 17th and 18th century music, especially Italian and French
• interdisciplinary performance, film music, music theatre,
composition
• circus and physical theatre, popular entertainments in the
Victorian and Edwardian eras, performance analysis and
historiography
• photomedia, including digital and multi-media practice,
as well as early photography technologies
• art history, particularly focusing on affect, emotion and war
• museum studies and museology, from the practice of museums
to the rhetorical aspirations of the new museology, historical
and contemporary Australian art
• gender studies, textiles and mixed media installation

Research is fundamental to the activities of the School of
Education. Research informs our teaching, underscores our
commitment to high quality education at all levels and in all
contexts, and connects us with the community and its aspirations.
A group of dynamic and high performing scholars drive
Newcastle’s nationally and internationally acclaimed research
programs in curriculum, pedagogy and specialist studies in
education. We aim for theory building, with strong influence on
educational policy and practice.

Researchers in the School of Education strive to:
• have high impact by addressing key educational problems
and issues in contemporary contexts
• pursue ‘cutting-edge’ projects of national and international
significance
• share their knowledge, skills, ideas and experience
• develop collaborative networks with colleagues throughout
Australia and internationally
• produce research and research training of the highest quality
The RHD opportunities in Education span from early childhood
through school education and into higher education and education
in the professions. Recent outstanding research higher degree
completions in the School of Education range from investigations
of emancipatory pedagogy to school principal leadership. Strong
research programs in the School of Education include:
• teaching and learning
• schooling and school reform
• research methods, training and impact
• professional education, professional development and career
trajectories
• special education
• physical activity, health and education
• curriculum development
www.newcastle.edu.au/school/education/research

24 | RHD PROSPECTUS

School of Humanities and Social Science
The School of Humanities and Social Science offers a wide
range of possibilities for RHD study, from classics to speech
pathology, from social work to American history, and from French
to sociology. The following list gives a further sense of the variety
of disciplines:
• classics
• community welfare and social policy
• English
• film, media and cultural studies
• French studies
• history
• Japanese studies
• linguistics
• philosophy
• religious studies
• sociology and anthropology
• social work
• speech pathology
• theology
The research section of the School website highlights research
strengths, current grants and publications, and active research
groups within the School. Discipline pages detail the research
activities and expertise of staff and current RHD students. There
is a large group of RHD students who come together at regular
symposia and workshops. There are strong research programs in
a compelling range of theoretical and practical domains pertaining
to the humanities and social sciences, for example:
• literary and linguistic computing
• early modern women’s writing
• violence and social order
• transcolonial history
• religion and society
• endangered languages
• evidence-based practice in social work
www.newcastle.edu.au/school/hss/research
Pictured right (from top): PhD candidates Guowu Jiang, Nathan Scott,
Tara Dickinson

www.newcastle.edu.au | 25

26 | RHD PROSPECTUS

FACULTY OF
ENGINEERING AND
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
The Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment is one of the leading
faculties of its kind in Australia, with a reputation for the highest quality
teaching and research.
This quality was recognised when the renowned Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Academic Ranking system placed our Faculty in the top 100 universities in the
world for engineering, technology and computer sciences. This strong international
reputation, along with our comprehensive study options, helps us to attract a
diverse range of high quality staff and students from many regions of the world.
The Faculty brings together the professions of engineering, architecture, building,
industrial design, computer science and surveying. Prospective RHD candidates
can begin the search for a potential supervisor at www.newcastle.edu.au/students/
research-higher-degree/future-students/find-a-supervisor.html
Pictured opposite page, top: Professor Behdad Moghtaderi and Dr Elham Doroodchi

The University of Newcastle has been ranked
as one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top 100 universities for
engineering technology and computer sciences.
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking

www.newcastle.edu.au | 27

OURRESEARCH
The Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment is internationally
recognised for its outstanding research record, which places our schools
among the very best in Australia.
Our research-intensive environment has helped to attract the highest calibre academic
and research staff from throughout Australia and around the world. Indeed, many of our
staff are leaders in their fields, carrying out internationally recognised work in pure and
applied research that invariably attracts high levels of competitive research funding and
highly talented research students.
Our interactions with industry also bring real-world technology issues into our research
laboratories as well as our teaching programs. Working with industry is central to
maintaining a ‘forward looking’ approach in our education of students. We are committed
to building long-term relationships that provide benefits to all parties, and we are focused
on expanding these relationships into the future. Together with our industry colleagues,
we research and develop new technologies and discover innovative solutions to many of
the significant problems that face society today.

ARC Centre of Excellence
for Geotechnical Science
and Engineering (CGSE)
The Australian Research Council provided
$14.4 million to the University to establish
the CGSE. The CGSE will pioneer new
scientific approaches to geotechnical
engineering design to underpin Australia’s
energy and transport infrastructure,
resulting in increased productivity and
sustainability of the nation’s export
industries.

Priority Research Centres

Other Research Centres

The University of Newcastle has 15
Priority Research Centres, four of
which are based within the Faculty of
Engineering and Built Environment and
another operates jointly with the Faculty of
Health. These are:
• Centre for Advanced Particle
Processing
• Centre for Energy
• Centre for Geotechnical and Materials
Modelling
• Centre for Bioinformatics, Biomarker
Discovery and Information-Based
Medicine (with the Faculty of Health)
• Centre for Complex Dynamic Systems
and Control.

The Faculty is also home to a number
of other important university research
centres.

Our Priority Research Centres focus
resources into areas of existing and
potential research strength, and
importantly they promote cross-faculty
and cross-disciplinary research.

28 | RHD PROSPECTUS

The University formed
part of the winning
consortium for the
Australian Government’s
$100 million Smart
Grid, Smart City
demonstration project
for Newcastle.

SNAPSHOT
Professor MARK JONES
Professor Mark Jones is Director of the Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies,
Director of TUNRA Bulk Solids and is also the Head of the School of Engineering at the
University of Newcastle. He has been an active researcher and international consultant in
the field of bulk solids handling for over 25 years. His principal contributions are in the areas
of bulk materials handling and pneumatic conveying. He is currently the Australian Delegate
and Vice-President of the International Federation of Measurement and Control of Granular
Materials and Editor in Chief of the Vogel Journal Bulk Solids and Powder; Science and
Technology, Germany.
Professor Jones was recently awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry Aldermaston Prize for
best paper at the Particulate Systems Analysis International Conference in Edinburgh in 2011.
In his limited spare time, Professor Jones can be found flying his Jabiru light aircraft or
soaring high above Lake Keepit in a sailplane. Viewing the world from above puts things into
perspective and often provides the stimulus for new ideas.
www.newcastle.edu.au | 29

OURSCHOOLS
Research conducted within each of
the three schools of our Faculty is
often directly linked to business
and industry.

School of Architecture and Built Environment
The School of Architecture and Built Environment has an
international reputation for pioneering problem-based learning,
research-led learning and online learning in its undergraduate
built environment programs. The School has more than 900
undergraduate and postgraduate students studying architecture,
design, construction management, property economics and
quantity surveying.
Academic staff in the School have been awarded national and
international prizes for research and design and they have held
research fellow and visiting scholar positions at the world’s
foremost institutions. Since 2003, academics in the School have
been awarded more than $4 million in research income and have
published more than 200 research books, chapters and papers.
The School’s research strengths in ‘creative endeavour’ (research
by design) are also significant and academics have curated, and
have had their works featured in, state, national and international
exhibitions. The School of Architecture and Built Environment
is home to the Centre for Interdisciplinary Built Environment
Research (CIBER), and academics in the school are members of
the Priority Research Centres for Energy, and Gender, Health and
Ageing. For a school of its size and type its research performance
is excellent.
The School’s primary research strengths are architecture,
construction management, construction economics, design
and urban design. Secondary research strengths are social and
behavioural studies, health (youth, ageing, disability), infrastructure
planning, urban geography, business and management.

30 | RHD PROSPECTUS

School of Engineering
The School of Engineering is a strong research-intensive school
with expertise in a wide range of disciplines. Our research focus
ensures that students are exposed to cutting-edge, worldclass thinking and are taught by staff that are at the forefront
of developments in their chosen field. Many of our staff are
internationally recognised for their contributions to science and
engineering, and play an active role in the development of their
research areas by taking on leadership roles in the promotion of
information exchange as editors of some of the most prestigious
academic journals, organisers of conferences and membership of
international standards organisations.
The School is closely linked with industry through scholarships,
collaborative research, professional consulting and involvement
with national and international professional bodies. A number of
truly pioneering inventions have been developed within the School
that have been patented and commercialised.
The School of Engineering is proud to be recognised as one of
the top engineering schools in Australia and is keen to continue
and enhance its enviable research track record for the benefit
of all of its stakeholders including our students, industry and the
community.
Research capabilities of the School of Engineering include:
• energy technology
• environmental engineering and water resources
• fluid mechanics and turbulence
• geotechnical engineering
• particle technology and interface science
• process safety and environmental protection
• structural engineering
• surveying and spatial sciences
• risk and reliability
• masonry
• bulk solids and particle technologies
• materials engineering

School of Electrical Engineering
and Computer Science
The School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
offers an exceptionally strong research profile in the areas
of electrical engineering, computer science and software
engineering. Within electrical engineering, our research excels
particularly in the areas of systems and control theory and the
related areas of signal processing and system identification.
Within computer science and software engineering our research
is integrated and, together with our world-leading and specialised
academics, combines theoretical and practical methodologies to
reach viable solutions to challenging computational problems.
The School’s research strengths are:
• control systems and automation
• signal processing
• data mining, computer science and bioinformatics
• machine learning and robotics
• smart structures
• telecommunications
• power systems and smart grids
• power electronics and drives
Example industries and applications include:
• process industries
• electric supply and distribution
• optimisation applications in ambulance scheduling
• high performance algorithms with GM research
• high speed/high performance nano-positioning systems

Research is an exciting profession
that lets you use your vision and
creativity to improve the world
and become part of the global
effort working on solutions to
the challenges we face in the new
century.

www.newcastle.edu.au | 31

32 | RHD PROSPECTUS

FACULTY OF
HEALTH
The Faculty of Health is the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading research faculty in terms
of total research funding.
Its research is characterised by multidisciplinary and collaborative approaches that
complement the Facultyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s integrated undergraduate and postgraduate programs in
medicine, health sciences, biomedical sciences and nursing, and its commitment to
excellence in professional education.
This allows a comprehensive approach to solving research problems and enables
efficient analysis of multi-faceted issues. The Faculty of Health has multiple campuses
located in the greater Newcastle area, Central Coast, Orange, Tamworth and Port
Macquarie.
It is important that RHD candidates align their research project with the research
expertise of existing academic staff. Prospective RHD candidates are advised to
browse the research interests of academic staff in the School and make contact with
a prospective supervisor who has appropriate research experience in the discipline of
choice. Prospective RHD candidates can begin this search at www.newcastle.edu.au/
students/research-higher-degree/future-students/find-a-supervisor.html
Pictured opposite, top to bottom: Professor Brian Kelly, Professor Clare Collins,
Professor Keith Jones

The University of Newcastle ranks ninth among
Australian universities for NATIONAL HEALTH AND
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (NHMRC) Project
Grant funding.
www.newcastle.edu.au | 33

OURRESEARCH
Priority Research Centres and Institutes

Family Action Centre

The Faculty is the major contributor to eight of the University’s 14 Priority Research
Centres (PRCs) which are a strategic initiative to focus the University’s resources into
areas of existing and potential research strength and promote cross-Faculty and cross
disciplinary research. The eight health-related Priority Research Centres are:
• The Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases
www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/card
• The Centre for Bioinformatics, Biomarker Discovery and Information Based Medicine
www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/cibm
• The Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health
www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/ctnmh
• The Centre for Cancer Research
www.newcastle.edu.au/research/centres-institutes
• The Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing
www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/gha
• The Centre for Health Behaviour
www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/health-behaviour
• The Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition
www.newcastle.edu.au/research/centres-institutes
• The Centre for Reproductive Science
www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/crs

The Family Action Centre (FAC), as an
independent centre of the University of
Newcastle, is a centre of excellence in
engaged scholarship, engaged research
and dissemination activities. FAC’s
programs integrate research, service
delivery, teaching and dissemination with
the aim of significantly influencing policy
and practice.

Newcastle is also home to the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI; www.hmri.
net.au), which was formed in 1998 as a strategic partnership between the University
of Newcastle, the NSW Health Department and the Hunter community. HMRI provides
an umbrella organisation for medical research in the Hunter. It is now a multi-campus
network of over 500 researchers based at either the University or the Area Health
Service and is recognised as one of Australia’s most innovative health and medical
research institutes. It is the third largest health and medical research institute in NSW
by peer reviewed grant income. HMRI has pioneered the integration of multi-campus
university and hospital based research. HMRI has seven key programs which encompass
health and medical research in the Hunter:
• Brain and Mental Health
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular Health
• Information Based Medicine
• Public Health
• Pregnancy and Reproduction
• Viruses, Infections/Immunity, Vaccines and Asthma (VIVA)
The University Priority Research Centres complement the HMRI Research Programs.

34 | RHD PROSPECTUS

FAC enjoys a well-established reputation
as a leader in the fields of engaging
fathers, boys’ education, and strengthbased community programs and
evaluation. The Centre has a major focus
in three areas of research that link strongly
to family and community service delivery
programs. They are:
• families, including fathers
• school and community engagement
• strength-based practice (such as the
Caravan Project and Home-Start)
www.newcastle.edu.au/researchcentre/fac

SNAPSHOT
RESULTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Hunter researchers have a proven track record of ground-breaking
discoveries that have dramatically reduced Federal and State healthcare
budgets.
Research conducted by the Stroke Research Group and the New South Wales
Ambulance Service has resulted in a five-fold increase in stroke patient access to
clot-busting treatments through a pre-hospital acute stroke triage (PAST) protocol. In
addition, the PAST protocol combined with the advanced CT brain imaging for better
patient selection has reduced the hospitalisation length of stay and increased rate of
functional independence resulting in cost savings of approximately $7,000 per patient
over the initial year post-stroke. If implemented nationally, these procedures could save
$31 million per annum while significantly improving stroke care.
Hunter asthma researchers demonstrated the high dose of corticosteroids prescribed
to asthma patients could be lowered. The lower dosage reduces the health risks and
morbidity associated with high dose steroids. Lowering the dose of steroids was
estimated to result in savings of $6 million in Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
fees annually.
An innovative collaboration between Newcastle pregnancy researchers, the University
Arts-Health Program, the University Department of Rural Health in Tamworth and the
local community is investigating ways to achieve healthy pregnancies for Indigenous
women who are twice as likely as non-Indigenous women to give birth prematurely and
40 times more likely to have babies with renal problems.
A 10-year study by cancer researchers in the Hunter has discovered that a combination
of radiotherapy and six months of hormone therapy doubles the survival chances of men
with locally advanced prostate cancer.

The PRC in Gender, Health and Ageing
has been designated as a World Health
Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre
for International Longitudinal Studies on
Gender, Ageing and Health. The aim is
to examine determinants of the health
of men and women as they age, and
particularly the impact of healthcare on the
experiences of ageing, and to inform policy
and practice.
The Faculty has made a strategic
investment to keep the genotyping
facilities in Newcastle at the cutting edge
of technology. This opportunity brings
together diverse research interests ranging
from public health to laboratory-based
medicine aimed at better understanding
common diseases such as cancer,
autoimmune diseases, heart disease
and stroke as well as the contributions
of genetic and environmental factors to
ageing and disease.
Pictured above: Conjoint Professor Chris Levi,
director of Acute Stroke Services at John Hunter
Hospital and director of the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Centre for
Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health
www.newcastle.edu.au | 35

OURSCHOOLS
The Faculty of Health has projects stretching across the spectrum of biomedical, medical
and health specialities, from basic and clinical research through to translational research
and clinical trials. Irrespective of the physical location of the research or the program with
which it is associated, a candidate for a research degree in this faculty would enrol in one
of the following schools:
• Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy
• Health Sciences
• Medicine and Public Health
• Nursing and Midwifery
Research areas are represented within these four Schools.

• midwifery
• Mental Health Nursing Research and
Practice Development Unit (NRPDU)
• Centre for Education and Nursing
Research in Child Health (ENRiCH)
• older person research program
• professional issues and acute care

FACULTY OF SCIENCE
AND INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
The Faculty of Science and Information Technology has a strong
commitment to fundamental and applied innovative research.
Our high international standards and comprehensive study options over a wide range
of research activities attract quality staff and students from around the world.
Students experience frequent contact with quality academic staff acknowledged for
their strong research performance and productive research partnerships with industry
and the community. The Faculty portfolio covers areas such as environmental, life and
physical sciences; mathematics; psychology; communication; design; and information
technology.
It is important that RHD candidates align their research project with the research
expertise of existing academic staff. Prospective RHD candidates are advised to
browse the research interests of academic staff in the school and make contact with
a prospective supervisor who has appropriate research experience in the discipline of
choice. Prospective RHD candidates can begin this search at www.newcastle.edu.au/
students/research-higher-degree/future-students/find-a-supervisor.html
Pictured on opposite page: Professor Paul Dastoor (top), Professor Chris Grof
Pictured left: PhD candidate Andrew Howells

OUR STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT BY EXPERTS AND HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR RESEARCH
WHICH INCORPORATES NEW CONCEPTS AND
TECHNOLOGIES – THE BASIS FOR TOMORROW’S WORLD.
www.newcastle.edu.au | 39

OURRESEARCH
The Faculty of Science and Information Technology has established international
reputations and formed strong, viable research centres and groups within our four
Schools. In addition, the Faculty continues to perform strongly in attracting significant
external research funding from national competitive grant schemes and increasing our
industry partnerships and links with government agencies in the Hunter region and
beyond through applied research and development collaborations.
Research interests within the Faculty range from laboratory-based experimentation
to fieldwork or clinical research operating within and across discipline interfaces.

Priority Research Centres
The University of Newcastle has 15 Priority Research Centres (PRC), four of which
are based in the Faculty of Science and Information Technology and another four that
operate jointly with other faculties. These are:
•
•
•
•
•

Centre for Chemical Biology
Centre for Computer Assisted Research Mathematics and its Applications (CARMA)
Centre for Organic Electronics
Centre for Reproductive Science
Centre for Advanced Particle Processing and Transport (with the Faculty of
Engineering and Built Environment)
• Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health (with the Faculty of Health)
• Centre for Energy (with the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment)
• Centre for Health Behaviour (with the Faculty of Health).
Our PRCs focus resources into areas of existing and potential research strength,
and promote cross-faculty and cross-disciplinary research.

Other research centres and institutes
The Faculty of Science and Information Technology is also a major contributor
to two Australian Research Council (ARC) Centres and also home to a number
of other important University research centres and institutes. These include:
• ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development
• ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Legume Research
• Centre for Space Physics
• Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Restoration
• Centre for Urban and Regional Studies
• Tom Farrell Institute for the Environment
• Centre for Optimal Planning and Operations
• NSW Institute for Frontier Geoscience
www.newcastle.edu.au/faculty/science-it/research

40 | RHD PROSPECTUS

OUR RESEARCHERS
ARE INTERNATIONALLY
RECOGNISED EXPERTS
IN THEIR FIELD.

SNAPSHOT
A GOOD EGG
As a young biologist, Professor Eileen McLaughlin produced her first test tube baby in
1983, just five years after Louise Brown was heralded as the world’s first IVF birth. It
was a case of ‘right time, right place’ for McLaughlin, who graduated from the University
of Glasgow to research positions involving assisted reproduction at the universities of
Birmingham and Bristol at a time when Britain was the international hot spot in this
emerging field.
That experience was the foundation for what has become a distinguished research
career in reproductive science. McLaughlin’s work has been recognised with awards from
the British Fertility Society and the Society for Reproductive Biology in Australia and has
been published in esteemed medical journals including Cell and The Lancet.
Since joining the University’s reproductive science group in 2001, a focus of McLaughlin’s
research has been the fertility prospects of older women. She says her research
has reinforced the theory that declining egg quality, rather than quantity, is the major
hindrance to conception in women in their late 30s and older.
While science has not delivered a magic formula to improve the quality of mature eggs,
McLaughlin is researching the way oocytes, or immature egg cells, are ‘woken’ to be
released from the ovary. The aim is that better understanding this process could lead to
new ways of harvesting or prolonging the life of good eggs.
“The attrition rate of eggs is very high,” she says. “A female has about 1 million eggs at
birth but by the time she is in her mid 30s she is down to about 20,000. By the age of 40,
she will have a few thousand,” she says. “She will only ovulate 400 eggs in her life, so the
vast majority of them are wasted. The challenge is to find a way to a hold on to some of
those good eggs longer.”

McLaughlin’s work has established that
many chemicals used in everyday items
such as glues, dyes and pesticides, are
potentially toxic to eggs, which can further
frustrate the efforts of older mothers to
conceive. “There are increasing numbers
of women in their 30s who are having
difficulty producing a sufficient number
of good eggs to conceive. The evidence
suggests that this may be influenced by
lifetime exposure, probably at very low
levels, to environmental toxicants,” she
says. Exposure to these chemicals is a
consequence of living in the modern world
and McLaughlin says little can be done
to reduce women’s susceptibility. But the
research underpins the importance of her
work in trying to extend the life of healthy
oocytes and improve outcomes for couples
trying to conceive later in life.
Professor Eileen McLaughlin researches in
collaboration with the Hunter Medical Research
Institute’s (HMRI) Pregnancy and Reproduction
Program. HMRI is a partnership between the
University, Hunter New England Local Health
District and the community.

www.newcastle.edu.au | 41

OURSCHOOLS
School of Design, Communication
and Information Technology
Research in the School reflects the dynamic, creative and
technologically oriented nature of the areas of design,
communication, IT and natural history illustration. The School
benefits from working across these disciplines by being able
to explore methods that enable more complex approaches to
broader areas of study and practice, for example through the use
of multimedia.
This approach is evident in our commitment to the study of
professional practices and the creative process. In a number of
projects we apply research methodologies such as ethnography,
documentary, systems testing and experimental methods to
rigorously investigate phenomena.
Our teaching and research emphasises the multidisciplinary
nature of our professions, and through interactions with industry
our staff and students focus on ‘real world’ applications to their
disciplines. We are leaders in the recognition and support of
practice-based research in creativity and creative endeavours.
Further, our areas of research excellence are wide-ranging,
and explore the important areas such as: image analysis and
processing; health informatics; public relations and new media
creativity; practise-based research; visual communication and
digital media design; and contemporary and traditional illustration
methods.
The School’s research strengths are:
• communication
• design
• natural history illustration
• health informatics
• information technology
www.newcastle.edu.au/school/
design-communication-it

42 | RHD PROSPECTUS

School of Environmental and Life Sciences
The School of Environmental and Life Sciences contains over
60 academic staff nearly all involved in research training and
professional research programs. The biology, biotechnology and
chemistry research programs have access to a vast array of stateof- the-art technology including mass spectrometers, electron
and confocal microscopes and nuclear magnetic resonance. The
laboratories are well resourced and there is a vibrant research
culture supporting national and international visitors and seminar
presentations.
Researchers have gained well-respected reputations reflected
by publications in many high impact international journals and
presentations at international conferences. The researchers in the
School have successfully formed nationally acclaimed research
centres via extensive networking and collaborative initiatives,
and have also worked collectively within the School and across
Faculties to form Priority Research Centres.
The School’s research strengths are:
• biological sciences
• chemistry
• earth sciences
• environmental science and management
• exercise and sports science
• food and human nutrition
• geography and environmental studies
• marine science
• sustainable resource management
www.newcastle.edu.au/school/
environmental-and-life-sciences

School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences

School of Psychology

The School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences is active in
many areas of research. Our research groups in mathematics,
physics and statistics are very successful in attracting funding
from the highly competitive Australian Research Council
Grant schemes, from industry and from other governmental
organisations.

The School of Psychology has a strong and continually expanding
research focus, with a range of internationally recognised
research projects funded by national competitive grant bodies.
We have state-of-the-art electroencephalogram (EEG) facilities,
access to brain imaging equipment, well-equipped wet and dry
laboratories and computer facilities.

Our research publications have a strong impact, as indicated by
high citation rates; in a recent survey we were placed in the top
10 nationally and we have a particularly strong national profile in
mathematics. We have internationally recognised expertise in the
areas of analysis, number theory, optimization, surface physics,
plasma waves and statistics. We are strongly committed to
research training with many postgraduate students from Australia
and from overseas undertaking research higher degrees.

Our research students are provided with opportunities to
participate in international conferences to present their research
to the international community, and are often supported by
research grant funding.

The School of Psychology has a strong commitment to supporting
the local community through programs such as the Psychology
Clinic, which also provides a training facility for the students.
The School’s research strengths are:
• clinical psychology
• health psychology
• cognition
• neuroscience
• social and developmental psychology
www.newcastle.edu.au/school/psychology

www.newcastle.edu.au/school/math-physical-science

www.newcastle.edu.au | 43

THE WOLLOTUKA INSTITUTE
Umulliko Indigenous Higher Education Research Centre is the primary
focus of Indigenous research and research training for the University and
The Wollotuka Institute.
The ideals of Umulliko are grounded in what is referred to as ‘an Indigenous framework
of being’. That is, Indigenous people take more than just a linear view of the history of
Umulliko to this point in time. A deeper level of framework is seen, in which the past,
the present and the future are combined to form a holistic Indigenous understanding.
Umulliko takes on the challenges of increasing Indigenous control of research practice
and outcome through the development of high quality Indigenous student research
education and practice.
Research options are diverse in the multi-discipline approach practised by the
specialised services of Umulliko. Research in the emerging areas of Aboriginal
legal, environmental and health research in a collaborative framework with specialist
disciplines is encouraged.
Indigenous staff will also guide research in Aboriginal studies covering broad discipline
offerings across all faculties through collaborative supervision arrangements. Your
research topic options are therefore potentially unlimited within the University’s
comprehensive range of disciplines.
Umulliko Research Centre
Maree Gruppetta – Research Coordinator
T +61 2 4921 6863
F +61 2 4921 6985
E Wollotuka@newcastle.edu.au
www.newcastle.edu.au/school/wollotuka/research

44 | RHD PROSPECTUS

EXPECTATIONS

IN RELATION TO RESEARCH HIGHER DEGREES
A research degree program is a demanding undertaking that will take a number of years
to complete. It is likely to involve extended hours to absorb and digest vast amounts
of existing information, to develop new data or ideas and, with the assistance of your
supervisor, to distil these into a well-structured and clearly written research thesis.

Master of Philosophy
The degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) is an ungraded degree awarded for a
significant contribution to any branch of learning of concern to the Faculty in which the
candidate is enrolled achieved through a program of advanced study and research.
The Master of Philosophy degree is offered by all faculties in the University. Applicants
may apply to undertake research in any of the research areas listed within the faculty
entries. Candidates are expected to complete their degree within two years of full-time
study or four years of part-time study.

Higher doctorates
The University offers higher doctoral
degrees. Admission to and the award
of these degrees is based on the
research output of the applicant
over a substantial number of years.
The requirements for higher doctoral
degrees are available from the Office
of Graduate Studies and are not
referred to further in this prospectus.

Entry requirements
The entry requirement is, in most cases, a relevant Bachelor degree with Honours Class
I or 2/1 or equivalent qualification or any other degree approved for this purpose by the
Pro Vice-Chancellor (or nominee).

Doctor of Philosophy
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is an ungraded degree awarded for an original
and significant contribution of merit to any branch of learning of concern to the University
achieved through a program of advanced study and research.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree is offered by all faculties in the University. Applicants
may apply to undertake research in any of the research areas listed within the faculty
entries. Candidates are expected to complete their degree within four years of full-time
study or eight years of part-time study.
Entry requirements
The entry requirement is, in most cases, a relevant Bachelor degree with Honours Class I
or 2/1 or equivalent qualification, or a coursework Master degree including a minor thesis
completed at an appropriate level or any other degree approved for this purpose by the
Pro Vice-Chancellor (or nominee).
For further information on eligibility requirements please visit the relevant schedule at
www.newcastle.edu.au/students/research-higher-degree/current-students/policy-andguidelines.html.
It is strongly recommended that all applicants contact the faculty in which they wish to
undertake research to discuss possible topics.
An applicant shall not be admitted to candidature unless adequate supervision and
resources are available.

Degree rules
The rules governing research higher degrees are available at:
www.newcastle.edu.au/policy/000830.html
The associated MPhil and PhD schedules are also available at
www.newcastle.edu.au/students/research-higher-degree/current-students/
policy-and-guidelines.html
www.newcastle.edu.au | 45

COMPLETING YOUR
APPLICATION FORM
Closing dates
Closing dates are not applicable for general RHD candidature
applications with the exception of PhD Clinical Psychology and
PhD Health Psychology. Candidates may commence on almost
any week-day of the year.
The closing date for PhD Clinical Psychology and
PhD Health Psychology is 1 October each year.
There are additional criteria that must be addressed by
applicants for these two programs. For details, please go to
www.newcastle.edu.au/students/research-higher-degree/
future-students
Applications for 2013 scholarships close 31 October
2012. Scholarship applications received after this date will
not be considered. If you miss the closing date in 2012 and
wish to apply for a scholarship in the following year you will
need to submit an application between 1 January and 31
October 2013.
Conditions of application
• Applicants will be assessed on the information provided.
• The application form must be signed and dated.
• Applications will only be considered if all relevant supporting
documents are provided.
• A valid email address should be provided.
• Applicants will be required to accept their offer and to enrol in
their program via the University’s online student self service
website ‘myHub’ at http://myhub.newcastle.edu.au
Documentation
Please retain a full copy of your application. Certified copies of
all previous qualifications including testamurs (if applicable) and
academic transcripts with grading system descriptions must be
provided. If transcripts only are provided they must clearly state
that the qualification was awarded, and the date of award.
If academic qualifications are in a language other than English,
official English translations must be provided as well as certified
copies of the original documents.
Do not send original documents as they will remain the property
of the University for the purposes of this application only. The
copies must be verified as true copies by either:
1. an official stamp in addition to the dated signature of an
authorised person of a recognised tertiary or higher education
institution (this includes staff in the Office of Graduate Studies)
2. a Justice of the Peace, identified by name, JP number, address
and phone number
46 | RHD PROSPECTUS

3. anyone who is currently employed as:
• an accountant
• a bank manager
• a credit union branch manager
• a barrister, solicitor or attorney
• a police officer of the rank of sergeant or above
• a postal manager
• a principal of an Australian secondary college, high school
or primary school.
Completing the form
One application form is used for both research higher degree
candidature and for scholarships. The numbers below correspond
with the question numbers on the application form. Read these
instructions carefully and ensure that all questions are completed.
Incomplete applications cannot be processed.
Step 1 – Student number
If you have previously been enrolled at the University of Newcastle
print your previous student number in the area provided.
Step 2 – Personal details
Provide your current personal details. If you are seeking admission
on the basis of qualifications gained under another name you
need to attach certified evidence of your name change before
your application can be assessed.
Step 3 – Contact details
Include an area code with your telephone number(s). If you
change address after lodging this application please advise
the Office of Graduate Studies.
Step 4 – Citizenship
All applicants, including those born in Australia, must provide
certified evidence of Australian citizenship or permanent
residency. If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent
resident you are ineligible to apply on this form and need to
contact the International Admissions Office on +61 2 4921 6595.
Step 5 – English proficiency
An applicant who does not speak English as a first language must
satisfy one of the English language requirements as outlined in
the English Proficiency Policy, available at www.newcastle.edu.au/
policy/000104.html
Step 6 – Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander origin
All applicants are invited to complete this section.
Step 7 – Current enrolment
Provide details of any current enrolment. An academic transcript
should be provided evidencing your enrolment at all institutions. It
is a requirement of the Research Training Scheme that all previous
enrolments for an incomplete research program at another
institution be disclosed to your intended institution.

Step 8 – Scholarship details
Provide all details of scholarships you are receiving or have
previously received.
Step 9 – Tertiary studies
Supply details of all tertiary/higher education studies undertaken
including the status of the study (completed, incomplete, currently
studying) and dates commenced and completed.
Step 10 – Relevant experience and employment
Provide details in the space provided or attach a Curriculum Vitae
detailing relevant experience and employment.
Step 11 – Research experience/publications
Provide details of any research or development work undertaken
to date. A statement verifying your research experience from a
previous supervisor should be submitted with your application.
Evidence of claimed publications/exhibitions/research
attainments must be provided by scholarship applicants. Include
a copy of the abstract as proof of authorship of any published
papers.
Step 12 – Referees
List the names and email addresses of academic/professional
referees. If possible, one referee should be a senior member of
academic staff of the university in which you gained your degree.
Step 13 – Proposed program
Please state the code, level and name of the program for which
you wish to apply. Please refer to the table of programs and codes
at the back of this prospectus. Indicate at which campus you
propose to undertake the program: Callaghan or Ourimbah.
Off-campus enrolment
Normal expectation is that studies are undertaken on campus.
However, it is possible to apply for off-campus candidature if you
reside and work outside a 50-kilometre radius of the Callaghan or
Ourimbah campuses. If you wish to be considered for off-campus
candidature please complete the Variation to Candidature form at
www.newcastle.edu.au/students/research-higher-degree/forms.
html and submit it with your application.
Note that if approval is granted for off-campus candidature, you
will be responsible for providing your own resources and you
should be aware that the University does not provide special
services should you wish to undertake this mode of study.
Step 14 – Proposed commencement
Provide your anticipated commencement date. Research
candidates may commence at any time of year. If coursework is
recommended as a component of your research higher degree
the usual semester dates will apply.

Step 15 – Proposed study load
Indicate your proposed study load as either full-time or part-time.
Please note that scholarship holders are normally required to be
enrolled on a full-time basis.
Step 16 – Research proposal
A statement outlining the proposed area of research must be
attached to the application form. Please refer to the Research
Proposal Template on page 48 for assistance with preparing a
proposal. Sufficient detail is required to enable the Faculty to
determine that it has the resources, including suitably experienced
supervisors, to support your candidature.
Step 17 – Ethics and Safety Approval
It is a University requirement that research projects that involve
the use of animals or the use of human subjects receive prior
ethical clearance. Some research projects also require safety
clearance. While the responsibility for this rests with your
supervisor, it is expected that you will be actively involved in
drafting information and preparing documents to lodge with your
ethics or safety application. Detailed guidelines are included with
the applications for animal or human ethics clearance and are
available from the School/Faculty offices or the Research Office.
In some instances applications are also required for ethics
clearance from other institutional ethics committees, such as
Hunter New England Health or the Department of Education
and Training.
If you know that your research will require clearance please
indicate this at question 17. If you do not know, you should
raise this issue with your supervisor at the beginning of your
candidature.
Step 18 – Impairments
The University can provide support services for people with
impairments or a long term medical condition that may affect
studies. Please indicate any impairment you have and visit
the disability support services website.
Disability Services
The Disability Support Service offers practical assistance and
advice to students with a permanent or temporary disability or
medical condition. The support and assistance provided through
the Disability Support Service aims to assist each student to meet
the inherent requirements of their program whilst maintaining as
much academic independence as possible. Further details are
available from www.newcastle.edu.au/service/disability
Step 19 – Signing your form
Please read then sign the declaration. If you choose to cross out
any part of the declaration your application will not be processed.
Step 20 – Application checklist
Use the application checklist to confirm your application
is complete.
www.newcastle.edu.au | 47

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
TEMPLATE
When preparing an application for entry into a research higher degree program it is necessary to supply a clear statement
describing the proposed area of research (a research proposal). Consultation with a faculty or school academic staff
member in the research area of interest is recommended prior to submission of an application. Liaising with an academic
allows you to frame the proposal to align with established disciplines and areas of supervisor capacity.
www.newcastle.edu.au/students/research-higher-degree/future-students/find-a-supervisor.html
General
Length: From one to three pages is often suitable, depending on the area of research.
Detail:
The following outline may be used as a guide. You should consider each of the areas that will be relevant to
your research.
Minimum: The recommended minimum requirements are identified with an asterisk (*).
Applicant name:
Academic contact/s:
Research topic title:
Research topic/title*
An initial working title should be provided and should describe the content and direction of your project.
For example: A template for assisting research students in the development of a research proposal.
Project Description
Background
What is already known or unknown? Set the scene.
Aims*
What do you want to know, prove, demonstrate, analyse, test, investigate or examine?
List your project aims in a logical sequence. For example:
The aim of this project is to:
a) Provide an outline of a research proposal
b) Enable a prospective student to prepare a research proposal
Methodology*
How do you anticipate you will achieve these aims?*
What do you need? (specify any special equipment, software or material)
Can you access necessary data or expertise?
Do you require particular resources?*
Are there barriers or pitfalls?
Does the project involve human ethics, animal ethics or safety implications?
Is travel or fieldwork required? If so, where to, how long and at what intervals?
Expected outcomes, significance or rationale
Why is it important?
What do you expect it will deliver?
What are the expected outcomes?
Establish the importance of your project by highlighting its originality or why it is worth pursuing. Highlight the benefits,
positive expected outcomes or innovative applications of knowledge.
Timetable*
Indicate the timeframe for each broad stage considering literature surveys, data collection, production, modelling, review,
analysis, testing, reporting, chapter and thesis writing, and thesis submission date.
48 | RHD PROSPECTUS

the university of newcastle
2013 application form for
research higher degrees
You must submit a complete application containing certified documents and a research proposal.
Incomplete applications cannot be processed.
This application form is used by domestic applicants for both research higher degree candidature and for research scholarships.
To be eligible for consideration for a research scholarship you must first be offered candidature in a research higher degree program.
Please tick the appropriate box(es).
I wish to apply for:
Research Higher Degree Candidature
Closing dates are not applicable for general RHD candidature
applications. Candidates may commence on almost any weekday of the year.
Closing date for PhD Clinical Psychology and PhD
Health Psychology: 1 October each year. There is additional
criteria that must be met for these two programs. For further
details please go to www.newcastle.edu.au/students/
research-higher-degree/future-students

NB: If you commence, or have commenced your RHD prior
to being awarded a scholarship, previous enrolment will be
deducted from the tenure of the scholarship. Please also refer to
eligibility criteria on page 9 of this Prospectus.

1. University of Newcastle student number (if applicable)

2. Personal details
Title

Dr

Mr

Mrs

Ms

Miss

Other

Family name
Other name(s)

Gender

Male

Previous family name

Date of birth

(Evidence of name change is required if qualifications are under a different name)

DD

Female
MM

YY

3. Contact details
Mailing address

Home address (if different to mailing address)

City/Suburb
Country

State

Phone: Home

Mobile

Postcode

City/Suburb
Country

State

Postcode

Business

Email

www.newcastle.edu.au | 49

4. Citizenship
What is your country of birth?
If you were not born in Australia, in which year did you first reside in Australia?
Are you an Australian citizen?

Yes

No

Are you a New Zealand citizen?

Yes

No

Are you an Australian Permanent Resident* (Permanent Visa)?

Yes

No

Yes

No

Date permanent residency granted
DD

MM

YY

Are you the holder of a Permanent Humanitarian Visa* (within Australia)?

*If you are the holder of a Permanent Humanitarian Visa or you are an Australian Permanent Resident and have not previously
provided your visa details, please attach a certified copy of your visa and arrival date stamp.
If you have answered ‘No’ to all these questions then you are ineligible to apply on this form – please contact International Admissions
on +61 2 4921 6595 or email IA@newcastle.edu.au

5. English proficiency
What is your first language?
Do you speak another language at home? If yes, please state the language:
If your first language is not English, you must provide evidence of your proficiency as detailed in the instructions accompanying this form.

6. Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander origin
Are you an Australian Aboriginal person, eg. Goori, Koori, Murri or Nunga?
Are you of Torres Strait Islander descent?

Yes

Yes

No

No

(If you are of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin, please tick both ‘Yes’ boxes)

7. Current enrolment
Are you currently enrolled in a university/institution?

Yes

No

If ‘yes’, name of university/institution:
Degree title

Discipline

When do you expect to complete your current enrolment?

8. Scholarship details
Are you currently receiving a postgraduate scholarship?

Yes

No

If ‘yes’, please complete the following:
Scholarship

Institution

Value

Duration

Will you be receiving a scholarship to support your research higher degree studies?

Yes

No

If ‘yes’, please complete the following:
Sponsor

Amount per annum

Have you ever received a postgraduate scholarship before?

Yes

Duration
No

If ‘yes’, please complete the following:
Scholarship

Institution

Value

Duration

9. Tertiary studies
Certified true copies of academic records must be attached. Official English translations are required for documents in a language other than English.
Completion and duration
Institution name

11. Research experience/publications (attach additional statement if necessary)
Provide details of any research or development work undertaken to date. Evidence of any claimed publications/exhibitions/research attainments
must be provided. Attach the front page of publication or advertisement for exhibition. Where evidence is not provided, publications/exhibitions
cannot be considered in the assessment of your application.

13. Proposed program
Please state the code, level and name of the program for which you wish to apply. Please refer to the table of programs and codes in this prospectus.
NB: Scholarship applicants wishing to be considered in more than one program in separate discipline areas must submit a separate application
for each discipline area.
Program Code ( see list page 53-56)

Program Level and Name (eg. PhD Education)

Campus*

* Off campus enrolment requires additional approval. Please complete the Candidature Variation form (www.newcastle.edu.au/students/researchhigher-degree/forms.html) and submit with this application.

14. Proposed commencement
Please provide your anticipated start date:

15. Proposed study load

DD

MM

YY

Full-time

Part-time

Please note that scholarship holders must be enrolled full-time unless part-time enrolment is approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

16a. Research proposal and supervision (attach a typed research proposal)
A research proposal must be submitted with this application, indicating the nature of research you wish to undertake. You are encouraged
to consult with academics at the University in your chosen discipline to discuss your proposed research prior to lodging your application.
A research proposal template is available in this prospectus and can be accessed from the previous two pages.

16b. If you have discussed your proposal with a potential supervisor(s), please state their name here and include it in your research proposal:
17. Ethics and Safety Approval
Do you expect that your research will require approval from any of the following committees:
Animal Care and Ethics Committee

Yes

No

Do not know

Human Research Ethics Committee

Yes

No

Do not know

Occupational Health and Safety Committee

Yes

No

Do not know
www.newcastle.edu.au | 51

18. Impairments
a. Do you have a disability, impairment or long term medical condition that may affect your studies?

Yes

No

b. If you answered yes to ‘A’ please visit the following website for information and advice on support services,
equipment and facilities which may assist you: www.newcastle.edu.au/service/disability

19. Declaration
I hereby apply for enrolment in accordance with the Act, By-law, and Rules of The University of Newcastle and declare that:
• I understand that I must enrol in courses that comply with the
requirements of the degree program to which I have been admitted

• I agree to abide by the Code of Practice for Research Higher Degree
Candidature

• I authorise the University to release information regarding my
enrolment to Government agencies in accordance with legal
requirements

• I understand that agreement to all of these terms is a condition of my
enrolment at the University of Newcastle.

• I understand that failure to pay fees and charges owed to the
University or its partner organisation by the due date may result in my
access to University services being restricted, the cancellation of my
enrolment and/or action to recover any remaining debt

• I understand that the University of Newcastle is collecting the
information in this form for the purpose of assessing my entitlement to
Commonwealth assistance under the Higher Education Support Act
2003, and allocation of a Commonwealth Higher Education Student
Support Number (CHESSN) to me

• I certify that all information and documentation supplied by me to the
University is true, accurate and complete
• I consent to the collection, storage and disclosure by the University,
Universities Australia (UA) or any UA member institution of a record
of any such information or any other irregular activity that may be
considered to be untrue or misleading in any respect
• I agree to comply with the rules, policies and by-laws of the University
of Newcastle
• I acknowledge and accept that the Code of Practice for Research
Higher Degree Candidature describes the respective rights and
responsibilities of both parties and forms the basis of understanding
and commitment between the two parties
• I consent to the University contacting other institutions to obtain
further detail concerning qualifications I have listed in my application

Informed consent:

• I understand that the University of Newcastle will disclose
this information to the Department of Education, Employment and
Workplace Relations (DEEWR) for the above purposes and that
DEEWR will store the information securely in the Higher Education
Information Management System (HEIMS) and that the information
may be used in connection with the National Data Collection on
University Applications and Offers and/or other collections as
DEEWR may lawfully require from time to time
• I accept that DEEWR may disclose the information to the Australian
Taxation Office (ATO), and that the University of Newcastle will not
otherwise disclose the information without my consent unless required
or authorised by law.

In signing this form you are agreeing to all of the above conditions. Giving false or misleading information is a serious offence under
the Criminal Code (Commonwealth).
Signed:

Date:

20. Application checklist
Tick the boxes when you have completed the following steps:

Signed the declaration
Once you have completed all of the above,
mail all forms and attachments to:
Office of Graduate Studies
The Chancellery
The University of Newcastle
Callaghan NSW 2308 Australia

RESEARCH HIGHER DEGREE
PROGRAM TITLES AND CODES
Applications for Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) research degrees will be accepted throughout the year.
The following is a list of application code numbers. The application code needs to be included in step 13 of your application form.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR RESEARCH HIGHER DEGREE APPLICATION FORM
FIXED closing dates for specific applications
1 October for PhD Clinical Psychology
1 October for PhD Health Psychology
31 October for research higher degree scholarship
Closing dates for general research higher degree entry: Applications for candidature may be submitted at any time.
Master of Philosophy research programs

Duration in years

Program code (MPhil)

M Phil (Aboriginal Health Studies)

2

11644

M Phil (Aboriginal Studies)

2

11617

M Phil (Accounting and Finance)

2

11601

M Phil (Anatomical Pathology)

2

11641

M Phil (Anatomy)

2

11629

M Phil (Architecture)

2

11618

M Phil (Behavioural Sciences in Relation to Medicine)

2

11643

M Phil (Biological Sciences)

2

11661

M Phil (Building)

2

11619

M Phil (Chemical Engineering)

2

11626

M Phil (Chemistry)

2

11662

M Phil (Civil Engineering)

2

11624

M Phil (Classics)

2

11607

M Phil (Clinical Pharmacology)

2

11645

M Phil (Communication and Media Arts)

2

11657

M Phil (Community Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology)

2

11647

M Phil (Computer Engineering)

2

11621

M Phil (Computer Science)

2

11620

M Phil (Cultural Studies)

2

11678

M Phil (Design)

2

11658

M Phil (Drama)

2

11603

M Phil (Economics)

2

11598

M Phil (Education)

2

11606

M Phil (Electrical Engineering)

2

11622

M Phil (English)

2

11608

M Phil (Environmental and Occupational Health)

2

11637

M Phil (Environmental Engineering)

2

11625

M Phil (Environmental Science)

2

11663

M Phil (Exercise and Sport Science)

2

11720

M Phil (Experimental Pharmacology)

2

11630

M Phil (Fine Art)

2

11605

M Phil (Food Science)

2

11664

M Phil (General Practice)

2

11646

M Phil (Geology)

2

11665

M Phil (History)

2

11609

M Phil (Human Geography)

2

11666

M Phil (Human Physiology)

2

11631

M Phil (Immunology and Microbiology)

2

11632
www.newcastle.edu.au | 53

M Phil (Information Systems)

2

11659

M Phil (Information Technology)

2

11660

M Phil (Law)

2

11600

M Phil (Leisure and Tourism Studies)

2

11599

M Phil (Linguistics)

2

11611

M Phil (Management)

2

11602

M Phil (Marine Science)

2

11667

M Phil (Mathematics)

2

11671

M Phil (Mechanical Engineering)

2

11627

M Phil (Medical Biochemistry)

2

11633

M Phil (Medical Genetics)

2

11634

M Phil (Medical Physics)

2

11670

M Phil (Medical Radiation Science)

2

11638

M Phil (Medicine)

2

11648

M Phil (Modern Languages)

2

11612

M Phil (Music)

2

11604

M Phil (Natural History Illustration)

2

11734

M Phil (Nursing)

2

11653

M Phil (Nutrition and Dietetics)

2

11639

M Phil (Occupational Therapy)

2

11640

M Phil (Oral Health)

2

11635

M Phil (Paediatrics)

2

11649

M Phil (Pharmacy)

2

11642

M Phil (Philosophy)

2

11613

M Phil (Physical Geography)

2

11668

M Phil (Physics)

2

11672

M Phil (Physiotherapy)

2

11636

M Phil (Podiatry)

2

11732

M Phil (Politics)

2

11597

M Phil (Psychiatry)

2

11650

M Phil (Psychology)

2

11656

M Phil (Religious Studies)

2

11694

M Phil (Reproductive Medicine)

2

11651

M Phil (Social Inclusion)

2

11726

M Phil (Social Work)

2

11616

M Phil (Sociology and Anthropology)

2

11614

M Phil (Software Engineering)

2

11623

M Phil (Speech Pathology)

2

11615

M Phil (Statistics)

2

11673

M Phil (Surgical Sciences)

2

11652

M Phil (Surveying)

2

11628

M Phil (Sustainable Resource Management)

2

11669

M Phil (Theology)

2

11723

Doctor of Philosophy research programs

Duration in years

Program code (PhD)

PhD (Aboriginal Health Studies)

4

11125

PhD (Aboriginal Studies)

4

11159

PhD (Accounting and Finance)

4

11032

PhD (Anatomical Pathology)

4

11126

PhD (Anatomy)

4

11132

PhD (Architecture)

4

10184

54 | RHD PROSPECTUS

PhD (Behavioural Sciences in Relation to Medicine)

4

11134

PhD (Biological Sciences)

4

10061

PhD (Building)

4

10853

PhD (Chemical Engineering)

4

10380

PhD (Chemistry)

4

10095

PhD (Civil Engineering)

4

11028

PhD (Classics)

4

10450

PhD (Clinical Pharmacology)

4

11139

PhD (Clinical Psychology)

4

11539

PhD (Communication and Media Arts)

4

10729

PhD (Community Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology)

4

11135

PhD (Computer Engineering)

4

11459

PhD (Computer Science)

4

11029

PhD (Cultural Studies)

4

11677

PhD (Design)

4

10728

PhD (Drama)

4

10050

PhD (Economics)

4

10494

PhD (Education)

4

10367

PhD (Electrical Engineering)

4

10332

PhD (Engineering)

4

11719

PhD (English)

4

10426

PhD (Environmental and Occupational Health)

4

11144

PhD (Environmental Engineering)

4

11468

PhD (Environmental Science)

4

10319

PhD (Exercise and Sport Science)

4

11721

PhD (Experimental Pharmacology)

4

11590

PhD (Fine Art)

4

10727

PhD (Food Science)

4

10955

PhD (Gender and Health)

4

11214

PhD (General Practice)

4

11136

PhD (Geology)

4

10439

PhD (Health Psychology)

4

11540

PhD (History)

4

10041

PhD (Human Geography)

4

11030

PhD (Human Physiology)

4

11140

PhD (Immunology and Microbiology)

4

11128

PhD (Information Systems)

4

11185

PhD (Information Technology)

4

11524

PhD (Law)

4

10147

PhD (Leisure and Tourism Studies)

4

10852

PhD (Linguistics)

4

10114

PhD (Management)

4

10389

PhD (Marine Science)

4

11478

PhD (Mathematics)

4

10033

PhD (Mechanical Engineering)

4

10209

PhD (Medical Biochemistry)

4

11133

PhD (Medical Genetics)

4

11129

PhD (Medical Radiation Science)

4

11130

PhD (Medicine)

4

11137

PhD (Midwifery)

4

11593

PhD (Modern Languages)

4

10333
www.newcastle.edu.au | 55

PhD (Music)

4

10938

PhD (Natural History Illustration)

4

11735

PhD (Nursing)

4

10939

PhD (Nutrition and Dietetics)

4

11131

PhD (Occupational Therapy)

4

11127

PhD (Oral Health)

4

11591

PhD (Paediatrics)

4

11138

PhD (Pharmacy)

4

11592

PhD (Philosophy)

4

10191

PhD (Physical Geography)

4

11031

PhD (Physics)

4

10299

PhD (Physiotherapy)

4

11463

PhD (Podiatry)

4

11733

PhD (Politics)

4

11482

PhD (Psychiatry)

4

11141

PhD (Psychology)

4

10216

PhD (Religious Studies)

4

11693

PhD (Reproductive Medicine)

4

11142

PhD (Social Work)

4

10738

PhD (Social Inclusion)

4

11727

PhD (Sociology and Anthropology)

4

11151

PhD (Software Engineering)

4

11474

PhD (Speech Pathology)

4

11472

PhD (Statistics)

4

10284

PhD (Surgical Sciences)

4

11143

PhD (Surveying)

4

11462

PhD (Sustainable Resource Management)

4

11480

PhD (Theology)

4

11724

56 | RHD PROSPECTUS

Applicants are cautioned that all information is correct at the time of printing but
may be subject to change without notice. The University of Newcastle reserves the
right at all times to withdraw or vary degrees listed within this publication without
notice. Applicants should make their own enquiries to validate all information before
proceeding.
2011/1394 | CRICOS Provider 00109J